


Second Life Choices

by hold_my_tea



Category: Half-Life, Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Bad coping mechanisms, Body Horror, Companion Cube, Gen, Identity Issues, Memory Loss, Near Death Experiences, On the surface, Post-Portal 2, Self-Esteem Issues, Suicide, Survival, Torture, Trust Issues, Zombies, anger issues, antlions, headcrabs, houndeyes, vortigaunts - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2019-06-07 16:01:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 81,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15222710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hold_my_tea/pseuds/hold_my_tea
Summary: Something in life guides everyone to what they are supposed to do. Sometimes it's people and sometimes it's the choices that are made.Chell is on the surface and finds the world is a much different place than the depths of Aperture. She has to battle this strange new world and come to terms with her own mind.Gordon and Alyx are trying to fulfill Eli’s dying last wish but that’s easier said than done. Between blizzards and Combine forces, what the Borealis contains could spell disaster for everyone on board.Meanwhile, White Forest is still recovering after the death of Eli Vance. Everyone mourns but Barney Calhoun just tries to keep everything from falling apart any further than they already have.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Comes another.”_

_“Find them, we must!”_

_“Hurry for they wander without knowledge.”_

 

Chell could hardly believe it. GLaDOS had kept her word. She had already tested the area and it was real. Not synthetic wheat and hologram clouds, but actual living world. Chell was currently sitting on top of her companion cube and just gazing at the expanse of blue above her. It was almost enough to make her cry. She refused to cry though. Not in a place that GLaDOS might still be able to see.

Eventually Chell would need to find shelter. She could use the shed but that was a bad idea for several obvious reasons. Using the cube, Chell stood on top of it and then clambered up onto the roof of the shed.

As it turned out, the wheat went on for miles in several directions. To the North, all she could see was wheat. To the south was much of the same. To the west looked to be a tree line, but the east seemed to offer the best option.

Out to the east Chell could make out gray silhouettes that couldn’t be trees. They looked to be rectangular in shape from her vantage point so that made Chell think it could be a series of buildings. Building meant a town, a town meant people, and people meant anyone that wasn’t a robot. Chell jumped from the roof of the shed and smiled. She was glad that she got to keep the Long Fall Boots. Despite hating Aperture, the boots could still be useful.

Chell then looked to her companion cube. It was big and a little heavy without a portal gun to carry it with, but it was also comforting. It was one of the strangest things that Chell could never understand. Why did a box that served no purpose but to block high powered projectiles and push buttons provide such comfort?

Was it the small pink hearts? How it became both a stepping stone and shield in a test chamber? Or was it that, if you listened closely, you could hear music coming from some internal mechanism in the cube?

Whatever the reason, she didn’t want to leave it behind. If it became a burden, then she would leave it behind with no strings attached. Or so she told herself.

Picking up the cube, Chell started her walk towards the town. One foot in front of the other, but there was this nagging feeling that she was going to hit a wall. Eventually she would find the edge of a room and this entire area would be revealed to be fake.

It soon became her own experiment. She would walk twenty steps and if she didn’t hit a wall, then she would walk twenty more. If she kept the idea that she was in a simulation, that this was all a trick, then she wouldn’t be disappointed when she found the truth.

All the while, Chell never took her eyes off the companion cube. She didn’t look up as she left wheat behind to give way to yellow grass. She didn’t even look up to see that the grass turned to barren dirt. It wasn’t until the crunch of dirt turned to the sound of metal tapping against stone that she noticed she had walked out onto a street. Setting the cube to the side, Chell looked down at the street as if it was the first time seeing one. She took several steps back and forth just relishing the sound of her heel springs making contact with the pavement. To anyone else it would be a simple thing, but the road made Chell drop to her knees and place her hands against the ground. She needed this.

It was warm to the touch and pressing her hands a firmer into the ground made little pebbles bite into the skin of her palms. It was too real. Chell felt another smile spread across her face as she picked at the grains of dirt and pebbles that clung to her hands. If this was a simulation, GLaDOS had gone the extra mile.

Standing back to her feet, Chell looked up to get a better look around. If she had to guess, the walk had taken an hour and she still had a bit more to go. The road had curved around from the north and straightened out to lead directly into what was most certainly a town. Or was a town…

The closer Chell got to town, the more she saw that there were large chunks missing from the buildings. Not only that, but there were no cars on the road and the pavement had tufts of weeds and grass growing up through any crack it could find. The bit of hope Chell gained was slowly seeping away at the sight. Something bad happened here while she was underground.

Once in the town, the first building Chell approached a residential building. The ground floor windows were either boarded up or the glass was covered in a thick layer of dirt and grime. She didn’t feel like breaking a window right now. Instead, Chell wanted to look around the town a little longer in case there was someone who might be nearby. Maybe that was just an abandoned building…

With each step, each building seemed to get bleaker and in further disrepair than the last. Stopping at a crossroads in the middle of an intersection, Chell sat down on her cube and frowned. There wasn't a single person out on the street.

Two hours ago, she had hope that there would be civilization but now she was stuck in an abandoned town with no way of knowing which way to go next.

She felt a small sting in her eyes but Chell quickly wiped at her eyes and hardened her expression. She wasn’t going to cry because she was going to find someone and live. She will do more than survive.

Going back to the apartment complex, Chell tossed her cube at a window. For some reason she liked the sound of the glass breaking. She listened to the building for any indication that someone heard the crash of glass. When nothing replied or appeared, Chell carefully moved through the broken window pane and entered the building. The lights were out but she could see enough to read a sign pointing the way to the stairs.

The air was filled with so much dust that Chell had to put a hand to her nose to keep from sneezing. It had been a long time since anyone had come through this building. A shelf had somehow been moved and leaned up against the door and effectively blocked her way. She didn’t think much about it while slipping under the dresser; back against it, one foot on the door and the other braced on the floor. With a heave, she managed to tip the dresser back and away from the stairway door. The wood splintered as the dresser rocked back and crashed into the floor.

Entering the stairwell, Chell froze up. Everything was white. Not solid white since there was a layer of grime covering every surface, but she knew this certain shade. Panels. The entire stairway was made of panels and metal stairs. It was the sign hanging on the wall was the nail in the coffin.  


_**Aperture Employee Apartment Building Number 5** _   
_**Floor 1** _   
_**Floor 2-5** _   
_**Roof Access.** _   


This entire town was still part of Aperture if that sign on the wall was anything to go by. Chell felt suddenly hyperaware of everything and she found herself checking every corner around for any sign of cameras. Seeing none, Chell carefully headed up the stairs, not checking any doors until she was on the fifth floor.

Peeking down a hall, Chell couldn’t see any cameras but she was still cautious as she went further into the building. Everything looked abandoned, but it also looked like it had been raided. Furniture was ripped to pieces and tossed around the halls, strange brown stains littered the floor and walls, and something smelled rotten. Where had everyone gone?

Had all these people died inside Aperture or did they just up and leave after what happened with GLaDOS. There should have been at least one person in the town besides Chell.

Had anyone even come back to this town? What about the police? An entire town disappears in one night and no one came looking? Was there an investigation?

 

_You’re not a good person. You know that, right? Good people don’t end up here._

 

Chell shook the thought from her head. No. She wasn’t like that. She thought she wasn’t at least. She had vague memories of her past but there wasn’t anything concrete. She knew she had a father that worked at Aperture. She knew her own name. She knew her age, or what is was before she woke up in Aperture. She was sure that she had a life before Aperture as well.

Then there came what she didn’t know. She didn’t know where she lived. She didn’t know if she played sports. She didn’t know what college she went to or if she had a college degree. She didn’t even know if she had a high school degree. It’s like her mind had been flushed of everything that didn’t have to do with Aperture.

Chell audibly sighed before she pushed open the first unlocked door she came to and walked inside. The room was just as dirty as the rest of the rest of the apartment complex. Dust littered every surface and the paint was flaking off the walls. There was also a large suspicious water stain on the ceiling that Chell didn’t want to go near out of fear the roof would collapse on top of her.

There was a small kitchenette in the corner. Chell checked the taps but they only hissed in response. The cabinets were empty of food.

The bedroom was in just as much disrepair as the rest of the apartment. The mattress and threadbare and springs were popping out of it. Mouse droppings could be seen in the corners, so she didn't bother laying on the bed because she was sure there would be a nest in it.

Moving the entire bed away from the wall stirred up a lot of dust but it settled soon enough. Where the bed had once been left a bare spot of non-discolored carpet. It gave an idea of what the place may have been like at one point. At least there would be a clean area to sleep on.

Chell then placed her cube in the corner and laid with her back nestled against it. Closing her eyes, the cube seemed to hum just like it did in Aperture. It was comforting.

 

_The weighted companion cube will never threaten to stab you and can not speak._  
_I think that one was about to say 'I love you.'  
_ _They are sentient of course._

 

With the soft sounds of the cube and the growing darkness, it didn’t take long for Chell to slip into the embrace of sleep. It was the first real sleep Chell had had in a long time. It was sleep that wasn’t due to the drugs they pumped into the stasis pods or the relaxation chambers. It wasn’t from being knocked unconscious after falling nearly two miles down a pit. It most certainly wasn't from falling unconscious again after being pulled back from the vacuum of space

If she could, Chell would have gotten some sleep between test chambers but the adrenal vapors saw to that being a fantasy. Despite feeling wide awake in Aperture, that didn’t mean she didn’t feel the strain on her body the vapors put her through. Her heart had felt like it would burst from her chest and despite feeling angry at everything, there would be times that waves of anxiety would build up and release all at once. Destroying the security cameras had helped alleviate some of that extra stress.

But at the moment, Chell was fast asleep. Her entire body limp and all the tension easing from her after everything she endured. The hardness around her eyes slacked into a restful expression. Every few minutes there would be a shift in her body; an instinct wired into her that she would need to get up and move at a moments notice. Chell remained unaware of this. Something related to a past that was forgotten.

Although, if Chell been awake, she would have heard the bumps and creaks of floorboards shifting. She would have heard the pained moans issuing upwards from the street below. Strange snarls and growls came into being from hearing the sound of prey. Long dormant and rotting corpses stood up without consent from the parasites attached to their heads. None of them could see it but they could smell it. They could feel it in the air. There was something in the town that shouldn’t be.


	2. Chapter 2

Chell awoke feeling stiff. Her neck had lolled back against the edge of the cube and left a crick in her neck that made her wince at the sudden movement. Standing up, she stretched her arms above her head and began to shift her body to loosen up and then began to work on her neck. Not the most comfortable sleep but at least it was restful.

With the morning came more pressing matters. Chell felt the pain in her stomach that came with the lack of food. The adrenal vapors had made her not feel hunger but when she had dropped into Old Aperture, they had worn off pretty quickly. She had felt hungry and there wasn't anything to eat down there. There was relief when she reached New Aperture to actually not feel the hunger as much, but it was still there. The last thing Chell remembered eating was a can of unopened beans she found in one of those alcoves with the paintings.

Chell liked those hidden areas. They had helped her catch her breath and clear her mind. Even though she had ideas of what horrors Aperture held before, those little rooms sealed her mind on the matter. They warned her and guided her where to go. It may not have been to an exit, but they took her where she was needed.

She had made it outside after her fight with GLaDOS. She had made it to the surface but was only teased with the thought of freedom before being draggedback inside. She had blacked out soon after but not before seeing something moving among the wreckage. It had been human shaped and looked to have a mop of dark greasy hair. They must have been the artist. Chell hoped they lived at least. Someone who managed to help her the way they did needed to live.

Picking up her cube, Chell made her way back down to the street. The sun was still low in the sky, but it was light enough for Chell to see. The buildings cast dark shadows across the broken streets and made everything blend together. Despite that, Chell thought it might be best to get her bearings and find somewhere she could get food and water. She had justescaped and she didn’t plan on dying of dehydration or starvation anytime soon.

For a place designed to house employees of Aperture, then there had to be a place they all got their food. It would justtake some searching is all. It’s not like all the employees gained nutrients like plants. They were human and would need to eat like everyone else. Even if there wasn’t some sort of grocery store, there should at least be a convenience store or gas station.

Although the streets were quiet, Chell couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her. She held the cube a little closer and kept walking. Sometimes Chell thought she heard something squeak but when she turned to look nothing would be there.

Chell approached what looked like it could have been a store at some point. Wiping away some of the dirt, she peered inside but still found it too dark. Tugging on the door proved it to be unlockedand a small bell above the door range to welcome her inside. An actual bell, not one of the electronic ones.

Inside was justas dreary and some of those same brown stains littered the ground and walls as they did in the apartment complex. Although here they looked darker, stranger... It wasn’t until Chell noticed how it looked as if something had been draggedacross the floor that it registered what the stain trulywas. Blood. Lots of blood long dried on the ground.

Something bad happened here to cause so much blood to appear. Something that GLaDOS couldn’t have done…  
  


_‘Things have changed since you last left the building. All I know is that I’m the only thing standing between us and them.’_

 

Chell felt her body stiffen. It wasn’t good. Whatever had happened made Chell’s blood run cold in panic. Turning back to look over her shoulder, Chell noticed the dark brown blood stain on the wall justleft of the door. A smeared handprint and two small holes near it. She reached out with a frown to trace the holes. Bullet holes…

It was at that moment that Chell heard it. The low moan and shuffling of what sounded like someone dragging their feet. Thinking that she finally found someone living, Chell turned back but was metwith an entirelydifferent site.

The clothes consisted of blue denim pants and a white shirt. Both ripped to shreds and barelyhanging onto the figure that slowlyapproached Chell. It was coveredin crusty brown blood and some strange orange stains as well, but the entire torso looked to have been rippedopen. She could see the remaining organs it still had and several broken and jagged ribs. Its arms were bare and the fingers were almost a foot long and curved into jagged claws. Then came the head. It wasn’t human at all in shape. It looked like a plucked raw chicken or a mutant crab sitting on a human shaped body. It was disturbing and horrifying to look at.

Then there was the smell. It smelled like as much like death as it looked up close. The closer it got, the more Chell realized the smell of rot and decay she had smelled back in the apartment building was the same as the creature. If she could, she would have thrown up. Did that mean there were more of these things in town? How had Chell not come across one before now?

Chell turned around to leave the store but she was a second too late as the creature launched a nearby snack stand at her. It caught Chell in the back as she fumbled to pull the door open. She gave out a pained hiss before running out the store.

It was a few seconds later that she heard a mighty crash of glass and the creature stumbling towards her with more purpose in its step. The cube in her arms suddenlyfelt much heavier as she rounded a corner into an alley and came face to face with another of those things. Bounding into view as well was something that looked much like a strange dog at first but was shapedmuch like a smoked ham.

It came up to her knees but was as big around as an oil barrel. It had only three legs, two front and one back, and was a mottled green color with a ridged back. The gaps between the ridges was a deep purple. There was no visible mouth, but its face was coveredin tiny black eyes all fixed on her.

The second crab headed creature took notice of her and made to move justas the dog thing went down into what could be considereda crouch. It then began to let out a high-pitched whine that increased in volume before a powerful shock wave emanated from the dog. It tossed both Chell and the second crab headed creature back. Chell had the misfortune of landing against a dumpster that had more rust than paint covering it. It was justher luck that she hit the worst of the rust and the metal gave way, causing bits of the metal to imbed itself in Chell’s shoulder and arm.

The second creature had been knockedaway as well by the shockwave and had hit its head on the wall. It didn’t get back up at least. The dog creature was already starting to make that whining noise again as Chell stumbled to her feet. Without hesitation, Chell kicked the dog thing much like a soccer ball and sent it flying. Despite its size, it was surprisinglylight judging by how far her kick sent it. It hit the opposite side of the alley wall with a thud and splattered yellow blood across the bricks and ground.

Distracted by the dog creature, Chell momentarilyforgot about the first crab headed creature. She was about to pick up her cube when those long claws raked across her stomach. There was a tearing of fabric and a sting of pain but Chell didn’t stop to access the situation.

Instead she gazed the alley much like she would a test chamber. Her fingers flexed as if pulling the trigger of a portal gun to make a quick exit. If should have bothered Chell more than it did with how natural that came to her. A little above the dumpster she had crashed into was a fire escape. The ladder would need to be jumpedto, but at least it was a way out.

Using her cube as a stepping stone, she climbed on top of the dumpster then took a leap to the ladder justas the creature swiped at her feet. It clipped her heal springs and caused her to hit the ladder with less grace that she would have liked, but she managed to not fall back to the ground. After that, she climbed up the ladder as fast as she could until she was well out of harm’s way.

The creature tried to toss Chell’s cube up at her but it banged harmlesslyagainst the underside of the fire escape. She felt the vibration of the metal and heard the cube hitting the concrete but didn't dare look.

Catching her breath, the adrenaline in her system started to fade so the pain in her back and shoulder was increasing. Alright, so she was out of reach of one creature, but there were surelymore of them nearby. She was safe on the fire escape but staying there was not an option. Seeing the only logical choice, Chell began to climb the stairs upwards and approached a window that wasn’t boarded up.

She tapped the window a few times to see if any creatures appeared but when nothing happened, she kicked at the glass until it shattered inwards. Chell then reached an arm in to unlock the window.

By the time she had lifted the window and clambered through, her shoulder was aching and her stomach was feeling sticky. Chell began to scout the room and found it looked much like the living room from the apartment she stayed in the previous night. The only difference was the furniture colors and the amount of cardboard boxes scattered around. It wasn’t the same building but it seemed all the apartments had the same layout in the town.

Chell eventuallyfound the bathroom, but the lights didn’t work in this building either. It didn’t matter in the end as there was a tiny plastic flashlight beneath the sink. The batteries were incrediblyweak, but it gave off justenough light for Chell to survey the damage to her back.

Where the metal snack stand hit her, nasty discolored bruises were already forming across her back. Then came her shoulder and arm. It was bleeding and aching horribly. With careful fingers, Chell picked out the largest pieces of metal and tossed them into the sink. Fishing once again into the drawers, she found an old pair of tweezers in a drawer. Chell put one end of the flashlight in her mouth to see and set to work getting the smaller pieces out of her shoulder.

Chell was actually surprised by her stomach. After untying her jumpsuit and pulling her undershirt up, she saw that the bleeding was not enough to warrant an emergency. It was more of a scratch than a wound. The knot from her jumpsuit sleeves took the brunt of the clawed attack at least. The only problem was that as Chell tried to tie the sleeves back around her waist one of them had ripped completely off and rendered itself useless. Without anyway of securing the jumpsuit it decided to slip down her legs and pool around her boots. She had some cotton shorts on under but with what was going on outside, she would need something more sturdy.

Looking back under the sink, Chell was happy to find a tiny bottle of rubbing alcohol but no bandages were in sight. As nice as the alcohol was, it wouldn’t do much except sterilize the wound. She needed the bleeding to stop.

Chell looked around but found and frowned at the lack of towels in the bathroom. There wasn't any in under the sink either. Seeing no other option but to use what bit of cloth she did have, she pulled the jumpsuit completely off and began to tear a leg off to act as a bandage.

She then sat on the toilet seat and put another piece of her jumpsuit in her mouth and bit down. This is going to suck she thought. One, two, three... A deep breath before she poured the contents of the bottle onto her shoulder as her eyes screwed tight and her hisswas muffled bythe fabric. The pain was stabbing and continued to linger even as she managed to get the orange fabric strips tied around the wound. She repeated the whole process for her stomach as well before standing up and moving back into the hall.

Going to the bedroom, Chell opened the door but immediately stopped in the doorway. It wasn’t another creature, but it was justas disturbing to see.

Laying on the bed was a person. Or what was leftof one. All that was leftwas a skeleton, long decomposed. It was wearing a threadbare suit with one hand laying at its side, the other on its chest. Above the skeleton’s head was a large brown stain splattered across the headboard. Another blood stain. Getting closer revealed a sizable hole in the skull. Chell pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt like she needed to say something but nothing came to mind.

Upon opening her eyes she noticed the glint of metal laying on the figures, justbeneath the corpses' hand.

The site made Chell frown once more. She put a hand on the foot of the bed and closed her eyes, giving the person some form of respect before she completely desecrated their bedroom. Without another thought, Chell turned to the closet and nearby dresser. A quick scan revealed several shirts and pairs of pants. She took several out and laid them on the floor instead of the bed for obvious reasons. The shirts were good enough but the pants were too large. Chell found a belt in another drawer and used it so the pants wouldn’t fall off.

The shirt was a long sleeve burnt orange color and the pants simple dark blue jeans. The clothing had some holes from mice chewing through, but they would serve her purpose. After dressing justoutside the bedroom, she reentered and approached the bed. Chell kept her head turned away and eyes closed as she picked the gun up. She was robbing and desecrating the dead but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

Chell didn’t remember ever holding or using a gun other than the portal gun before so she tried to remember movies. No single movie stuck out because she couldn't remember any but the motions in her mind played out. She pushed a button near the trigger and the magazine fell out. No bullets in it. She put the magazine back in and pulled the slide back. Nothing in the chamber either. The skeleton must have used the last one for themselves.

She tucked the gun into the waistband of her pants since a holster couldn't be found. Chell mostlyjustdidn't want to search for one at this point.

The last two things Chell snatched from the room were a spare bedsheet from the closet and a jacket. The jacket was a dark grey and a little too long in the sleeves but was warm enough. The bedsheet was foldedand tied into a makeshift sling bag for the extra clothes and it would soon hold Chell’s cube.

Her cube… She had left it on the street. She shouldn’t have done that. It was probablywondering where she was by now. She should have brought it with her! She could have gotten it upstairs but no! She had left it behind. What a horrible thing to do!  
  


_'You are a horrible person. That's what it says; a horrible person We weren't even testing for that.'_

 

She shook her head at the memory before taking a deep breath. Her cube would be fine for a few more minutes. Nothing bad would happen to it...

After casting another look at the dead on the bed, Chell frowned once more before saying, “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet and foreign to her own ears, but she was happy to have gotten the two simple words out. She turned the lock inside the door and closed it behind her, sealing the grave once more.

Back in the living room, Chell fished through a few of the boxes but they were all files. Justboxes and boxes of files but nothing of use to her unless she wanted to start a fire. She pushed them aside before going into the kitchen. Most of the cabinets were empty but strangelyshe found an extra box of bullets in a drawer. At least she would have some form of protection against the creatures outside. She loaded the gun, flipped the safety on, then stuffed it back into her waistband. She had five extra bullets and put them into her pocket before continuing her search of the kitchen.

She opened the freezer but shut it as fast as she could a moment later. The smell of rotting meat that had been sealedinside wafted out and filled her nostrils. It made her start coughing uncontrollably. The fridge was empty except for strange stains and mold growing in a corner like a culture test. Chell was down to the last cabinet and the hopes of food were getting slim. As if some force of nature was taking pity on her, she found a single can of tuna, unopened, in the cabinet.

She grabbed it and pulled at the tab on top before digging her fingers into the fish. She didn’t like the smell, but the taste was amazing to her. Her stomach was growling as it was wanting more and more. Unable to take it anymore, she scooped up a handful into her palm and ate much like an animal would out of a handler's palm. The can was empty far too soon for Chell and her stomachs' liking. Something was better than nothing at least.

After licking her fingers clean the best she could, she tossed the can out the open window and into the street below. If she was going to do this, then she’d need to move sooner rather than later.

She knew the answer but just to test it out, Chell tried the taps. They didn’t work but made a hissing sound instead. No water.

Double checking her makeshift bag, Chell climbed back outside the window and started climbing up the fire escape once again. She climbed until it went no further. If she could, she would have climbed up onto the roof so she could see better, but the fifth floor would have to do. She could see her cube far below and that creature still justwalking aimlesslyaround it. It’s as if it knew she was still nearby. Chell watched it and calculated its speed before climbing up onto the railing of the fire escape.

Another moment passed then there was the feeling of falling. Accelerating at high speeds that is stoppedsuddenlywith as much force as if she only took a small hop in place. The only difference between this jump and a test chamber is that she landed directlyon top of a snarling and dangerous creature. Chell had aimed one of her feet to hit the very center of the creature's head and she heard a grunt then silence. It no longer moved or tried to attack so she assumed that meant it was dead. That brought a smile to her face. Funny how she was smiling more on the surface with murderous creatures than she did back in Aperture with murderous robots.

The only thing was that Chell’s smile died the moment she looked down. The creature was different now. The plucked chicken hadn’t actually been the head at all but a different creature all together. It had been sitting on the head of what Chell now realized was a person. Or what used to be a person…

Chell dropped to her knees and could only stare. She did her best to keep the food she had justeaten from coming back up at the sight. There was driedblood crusted around the eyes, nose, and mouth of what was once a human being. Whatever was not covered in blood was pale as a ghost in comparison. Its hair was shreddedand knotted with deep lacerations on the scalp that revealed the skull underneath. The eyes were twistedshut and practicallymelded together into a smooth expanse dotted by black specks of what might have once been the eyes. The nose was bulging and pale, but the mouth was the most horrifying aspect.

The mouth was twistedinto a perpetual scream. It was wider than any mouth should be and stretched to the point that the corners of the mouth were ripped. The tongue looked to missing all together, but the inside of its mouth was justa swollen mass of red. If she could ascribe one word to the sight, it would be agony. Pure unadulterated agony. It was terrifying and yet hard to look away.

Looking to the creature that had been sitting on the persons head, Chell felt a surge of anger course through her. She picked it while clambering to her feet. In an instant, she dropped it and kicked it as hard as she could before it could hit the ground. It went sailing like a ball and bounced off the nearby wall with a wet smack. Looking around, she saw where the other one had been and stalked over to rip the chicken thing off and revealed a much similar sight beneath. If it wasn’t for the slight difference in hair color and jaw shape, she would have thought they’d be the same person.

They were humans at one point… Chell felt her hand tighten on the skin of the creature before she tossed it away with all her might.

It couldn’t be, Chell thought to herself. She couldn’t be all thatwas leftof humanity. There had to be more than these creatures. GLaDOS had said there were humans on the surface and deer too. It could have been a lie though. She had lied in the past, had she lied about humans too?

Putting her cube into the sling, she walked back to that convenience store from before and began to scour the shelves. No more creatures but there was another skeleton. Chell soon found what she needed. She opened up the map to find what she believed to be her location. She didn’t have much to go on besides being in the Michigan Peninsula, but there looked to be a larger road nearby. If she was to find civilization, that would be her best bet.

Her face shifted into stone as she made another pass through the shelves. The only other source of food she could find was a single can of potted meat. Shoving it into the sling as well, she exited the store and started walking.

She met a few more of the crab headed creatures but she found out if you moved out of site quicklyenough they seemed to forget about you. Chell nodded at that and continued to move. She wasn’t going to give up just yet. No. She was only beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

“Say, Doc? Where’d you want this again?”

“Justput it in the corner, Barney. I’ll get to it later.”

Barney shifted the large box in his arms and struggled to peer around it to look at Dr. Kleiner. The doc was currently nose need in some files and data which left Barney as the heavy lifter slash errand boy for the moment. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do.

He had arrived to White Forrest on justa few hours after the strider attack. Barney and his group of refugees could hear all the drop ships flying them in from the wastelands. They had done their best to stay out of sight until they were sure the Combine were gone. It was justtheir luck though at what they found at White Forest.

Barney had come in with all smiles and cheers that he had arrived with most of his evacuees in one piece after their train had been derailed. They lost several in the initial crash, but those who made it out had arrived back; albeit some limping and being supported, but they made it.

Barney had expected them all to be welcomedwith smiles but the site was far somber.

He didn’t even have to ask what had happened when he saw explosion marks and bullet holes riddling the halls.

He remembered walking up to someone. He couldn’t be sure who it was, but he justneeded to know. He had asked about the numbers. The response Barney got was thirty-two dead and countless injuries.

He punched the hard concrete wall after hearing that. That was too many. He should have been there sooner. He could have done something. At least that’s what Barney was telling himself.

In reality, there was nothing he could have done. Even Gordon and Alyx had been helpless to the horror that awaited them in the hangar. If it hadn’t been for DOG, then many more may have suffered the same fate as Eli. At least DOG had been able to kill the Advisor and run the other one off from what Barney had been told.

Since then, Barney had been running himself into the ground, trying to do everything he could to help get White Forest back into shape.

In the mornings, he would run patrols near the perimeter and outlying areas. He would then go to the armory and take stock. He would often come out smelling like sweat and gun oil but at least it would all be in shape. After that, he’d justgo to check in with the communication specialists and see how the injured were fairing in the infirmary. The end of the day would be Barney checking in with Magnusson and Kleiner to see if they had anything for him to do.

No mater where he went, there was mourning. Friends, lovers, family. Nothing was sacredanymore. You never know when the last time you'll see someone will be, Barney thought to himself. It's why he always would say 'see you when I see you' to anyone he was leaving behind.

Eli was different though. He was the de facto leader of the resistance and everyone liked him. Everyone was mourning Eli. Kleiner would have to take short breaks and compose himself whenever his emotions got the better of him. Magnusson wouldn’t say it but he was mourning too. His temper was shorter but there wasn’t the same urgency he normallyhad in his tone of voice.

Gordon and Alyx? Well… The few short hours Barney had been with them before they left were, for lack of a better word, unnerving. Sure he had seen Alyx angry before but this was something new altogether. There had been fury in her eyes hidden behind a face like stone despite how red her face had been from crying.

While Gordon… Barney had known Gordon a long time or at least he thought he did. Gordon had been wound tighter than a spring. He was more withdrawn, quieter… Well he was quieter than usual. Barney had placed a hand on Gordon’s shoulder in comfort and the man nearlyhit him with that damn crowbar he carried. Barney had never seen Gordon like that and he'd once seen the man hyped up on energy drinks and coffee with no sleep for two days.

Barney thought he had a handle on his own emotions. He was mourning too but he wasn’t going to stop moving. The combine were still out there, and despite being cutoff from the pit of hell they came out of, they still posed a threat. He wasn’t going to let them get the drop on anyone else. He couldn’t have anyone else be an Eli. He wouldn’t if there was still something that could be done.

Setting the box to the side, Barney stretched out his arms before going to Kleiner’s side. “Whatcha working on now, doc?”

“Hmm? Oh. Justgoing over some readings. Some of our old sensors are picking up strange signals and power fluctuations near the Michigan Peninsula. Strange thing is that if these are right then it’s the old Aperture Science facility,” Kleiner said, eyes never leaving the paper.

“Aperture? Think it could have to do with Gordon and Alyx?”

“No. I highly doubt it.”

Barney frowned and shifted his weight. “You know… You never did tell me what the big deal is about Aperture. Yeah, I know they were Black Mesa’s competitors, but that’s about all I know.”

Kleiner placed his notes back on a desk and sighed. He justdidn’t have the same amount of energy as he did two weeks ago. “Well, the competition goes back to the sixties but we always came out on top for government funding. In the mid nineties, we started a race for teleportation… You can see how that ended for us, but no one knows what happened to Aperture Laboratories.”

“What do ya’ mean by that?”

“I mean they completely dropped off the map. One day they were releasing information of some of their projects and then the next… nothing. It’s like they vanished in the middle of the night.”

Barney picked up another box and stacked it with some others in a corner before continuing. “Any theories?”

“As towhat happened? I can’t say I do.”

“I can,” a stern voice interrupted from the other side of the room. Doctor Magnusson had walked in with Uriah behind him. They were each carrying one of those Magnusson Devices. “Aperture Science was a joke filled with nut jobs and dangerous lunatics who knew nothing of safety or ethics.”

Barney had to stifle a smart ass comment at that. Safety? Coming from the guy who worked at Black Mesa before shit hit the fan. Hell. All three of them had come from Black Mesa and that place was a walking hazard sign. It only took a cataclysmic disaster for Barney to see it.

Toxic spills with only a single door to block the radiation, walkways that seemed to be built from balsa wood and papier-mâché, walkways where explosive materials were stacked, scaffolds with no guardrails over pits that looked bottomless... Barney could go on forever about the walkways and scaffolds in general. Had the Incident not occurred, he probablywould have sued Black Mesa for the lack of safety rails.

Barney must have had a smile on his face because Magnusson’s face screwed up as he said, “What’s so funny, Calhoun?”

“Nothing, Doctor Mags.”

Magnusson gives Barney a dirty look at the nickname but doesn’t say anything else. He and Uriah go set the devices on a nearby table and they begin tinkering with them.

Going back to Kleiner, he handed the man the newest data from the printer. He knew the man well enough to know when he would be needing it.

“Thank you, Barney,” he said. He began to peer over the notes and frowned then looked to the ones from before.

“Something wrong?”

Kleiner shook his head, “No… Just odd. There was another spike in readings from Michigan. More severe than the last one…”

Barney didn’t like the sound of that. “Any idea what it could mean?”

“Could be any number of things, but it’s hard to say for certain.”

“Worth checking out?”

Barney was secretlyhoping it would be. It would make him feel more useful than justdoing all the little things around the base. He wished to be out there. It’s what he was good at doing. He was a tactician. A fighter. He needed to be out there, not stuck indoors and hidden behind concrete walls.

But life had other plans. “No. You are neededhere and the journey is much too far and dangerous. It would take you too long to get there even if you made it there alive. No. It’s best if you stay here.”

Barney managed to not look defeated but nodded his head to Kleiner. “Sure thing, doc.”

Barney was about to leave when he heard Doctor Magnusson call out. “Calhoun. You don’t look very busy. I need you to move these crates for me.”

Barney sighed before turning back around and getting to work once more. Someone had to do the dirty work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we get to check in on Barney and the others at Black Mesa. Some function better than others, but there will be somebody who soldiers on. 
> 
> I know this chapter was a little shorter than the last but it was more of an introduction to where everyone at White Forest and what may be going through the minds of those still there. I hope you liked this chapter all the same.


	4. Chapter 4

Chell focused on the rhythmic tapping of her heel springs on the road. She had to keep moving is all. She’d run into a town sooner or later. something. Or that’s what she told herself at least. A full day had passed since her encounter with the creatures, yet she had still not found a sign of civilization. The main road had been a surprise to Chell when she stumbled across it.

One being that it was littered with broken down and abandoned cars. They were all rusted with tires either flat or missing altogether. She had slept inside one at the previous night just to stay out of the open air.

The major difference between the two roads was that the main road looked like a war zone at times. Large holes marked areas of the road and entire vehicles would be smashedinto tiny pieces. At one-point Chell came across a strange vehicle that looked like some sort of armored car. It even had what looked like a mounted gun on the roof. But it wouldn’t help her since the gun was too heavy to carry and she needed water more than she needed a weapon.

When she had woken up in the backseat of that car, her mouth and felt like it was filled with cotton and her lips were cracked. Her one can of potted meat was gone, already eaten, but she still hadn’t found a source of water. Not even a puddle.

At the moment her head was pounding like a drum and she just felt weak. Chell pinched the back of her hand and watched how the skin stayed in place as if she was still holding it. She silentlycursed herself for being dehydrated. She needed to find some water soon or she’d be in real trouble if she encountered any more of the strange creatures.

Pulling out her map, she did her best to figure out where she might be. There was another town marked on the main road and that was the direction Chell had been heading. There, about halfway between where Chell thought she might be and the town, was a tiny line of faded blue. Some sort of river? She'd even accept a creek if it meant water.

She couldn’t tell if it was a small lake or maybepart of a river, but it meant water and it was in the direction she was heading. Shoving the map back into her pocket, Chell moved with more purpose to her hopeful water source.

She was tired already, but she needed to reach that water source if she wanted any chance of facing the future. She felt hot, but she wasn’t sweating. Another bad sign. Chell decided she needed to hurry.

It was over an hour later and the ache between Chell’s temples only grew in strength. If she hadn’t been looking for it, she would certainlyhave missed it. Justoff to the right of the road was where the water source would be. The only problem was that it wasn’t there. Sure, there was the slight slope of a bank and runoff line from a river, but where it water should have been was nothing. All that remained was a dry and cracked pit of dirt.

She walked down the embankment to the dried-up riverbed and went to her knees in the center of it. She tried digging a little, hoping that there might be some hidden beneath the dirt, a pocket of mud, anything! The only thing the digging causes was her fingers to ache and reveal her worst fear. There was nothing there. Not a drop.

Chell squeezed her eyes tight before getting back to her feet and walking up the bank again. She wouldn’t give up over such a setback. There had to be another source of water somewhere.

Halfway up the embankment, she paused at the sound of dirt and twigs being disturbed. She moved a few more feet up but paused when it was only one of those crab-chicken things again. It wasn’t on a human this time but was wandering closer to Chell with its long front legs extended in the air. Chell pulled her gun justas it leapt at her.

She raised a forearm to stop its jump, but she felt something sharp bite into her arm. She cried out in pain as it fell to the ground in front of her. The crab-chicken began to crawl away. She thought it was running away, but no. It turned around and leapt once more at her. This time Chell ducked and it soared over her head.

She didn't give it anymore time. With quick steps, she brought her foot down directlyon top of it. It squeaked it pain but that was silencedonce Chell pulled the trigger on her gun.

She kicked the creature away much like the ones back in the Aperture town. Well, they seemed easy enough to kill when they weren't on a human and they liked to aim for the head. With that in mind, Chell thought finding and wearing a helmet wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Once back on the road, she tucked the gun back into her waist band and kept moving. She'd justhave to find something once she reached the town. It only had to be a couple more hours away if she walked fast.

It was only a few minutes later that she paused again at the sound of something coming down the road. It almost sounded like…

As if on cue, a vehicle turned around a bend and was racing down the road in her direction. It was all black and geometric in shape. As it came closer, Chell could make out a glass dome on top with a gun mounted on it. It was the exact same as the one she had seen earlier turned on its side.

It was moving fast so Chell quicklymoved out of the way and began to wave her arms. This could be it! Maybeher luck was turning for the better.

The occupants must have noticed her because they slammed on the breaks and three figures jumped out of the vehicle. Chell started moving towards them, but she quicklyfound they had weapons and were bringing them up to aim right at her.

Her body froze but not in fear. She froze out of the urge to analyze the situation. Her eyes darting around every aspect of the scene, taking in the angles and advantages she might have. Things were not looking up for her.

One, she had given away her position. That was stupid of her. She had done her best to hide back in Aperture and avoid cameras justto get the drop on GLaDOS and Wheatley, at the right time, but that was gone.

Two, she didn't have her gun drawn. Not only did they already have guns drawn, but theirs were bigger. It didn't take a genius to know a bigger gun was more powerful.

Three, there was nowhere to run. She could try but that might justmake them shoot her on sight.

In short, she was screwed.

Two of the figures were wearing dark padded jackets with white shoulder patches and belts cinched tight to their waists. They also had dark green pants with the cuffs tucked into combat style boots. The third figure was wearing dark heavy padded coat and military style jacket and vest. Kevlar, her mind supplied. Their pants were a black and blue camouflage with extra padding in the thighs. On the sleeve of their jacket, they had a patch that looked like a black hourglass inside a yellow circle. Some sort of insignia of who they worked for? They didn't sport any sort of flag on their uniform, so who were they?

The most unsettling aspect of the soldiers, Chell was certain they were soldiers, were their masks. All three wore gas masks. The two in the standard padded jackets had white masks with emotionless black eyes lenses. It reminded Chell too much of a skull. The third had a solid black mask with glowing blue eyes. Although not as creepy as the white masks, it was still unsettling.

All three looked at her before the dark masked one stepped forward.

 _“Malignant, you_ _are charged_ _with code 507, code 69, code 94, and code 17-F. Throw away your weapon and get on the ground_ ,” the soldier in the dark mask said while pointing his gun at her chest. The voice was masculine in nature and distorted by the gasmask, but there was something off about it.

Not seeing any way out of this, Chell removed the gun from her waist and dropped it on the ground. One of the soldiers in a white mask picked it up and tucked it into their belts.

“ _Sentence will be decided after questioning_.” The dark mask said. Chell then realized what was off about them. The voice wasn’t justmuffled but it sounded machine like.

She didn’t get to think much on the topic before the other white masked soldier came forward and struck Chell in the head with some kind of baton.

The last thing Chell noticed before falling unconscious was the electricity coming from the baton and one of the other soldiers putting their dirty hands on her companion cube.

 

When she came to, Chell was aware of her head pounding for two reasons. One being dehydration and the second being the knot courtesy of the soldier that hit her. Said soldier was currently standing a few feet away with his counterpart in the white mask.

The third was sitting on top of her companion cube like a chair and looking over his gun. It was bigger than Chell’s for sure, but she didn’t know the exact name for it. She felt that she didn’t use guns very much before so all she could think to call it was a machine gun.

She blinked the grogginess from her eyes before getting a better idea of what happened. Organizing her thoughts was like moving through an excursion funnel; slow and disorienting.

She couldn’t see the road so she’d been moved. That was something at least. She tried to move her hands but she quicklyfound out they were bound behind her back. She felt something rough with her hands that she thought might be a tree. A quick peek revealed that to be the case. Her feet felt strange. Wiggling her toes made her realize she was barefoot. They had removed her boots it seemed. Another glance to the shoulders showed that they were tossedin a heap next to her companion cube.

The soldiers seemed to be distractedbut even if she could get to her feet, there was no telling how far she’d get if she ran. They had guns and a vehicle. Chell had nothing and her hands were tied, literallyand metaphorically.

They must have noticed she was awake because all three were moving towards her.

“ _Sit her up_.”

The one with the blue eyes was definitely the leader as the two white masked soldiers grabbed her arms and set her back against the tree. The blue eyed one looked down at her, unmoving. She stared back with defiance in her eyes. They nodded to the white masks one of them touched their stun baton to her arm and held it there. Pain raced through her arm and shoulder as she hissed in pain.

Even after the baton was removed, Chell felt like her arm was on fire. A quick glance showed a burn mark where the baton had been pressed. That small movement must have displeased them because the other one pressed his baton to the untouched arm and the pain began anew.

It lasted longer that time and soon, both of the white masks had their batons pressed against her arms at the same time. Chell tried to keep quiet but she couldn’t stop the cry of pain that echoed out of her.

When they finally stopped with the electrical shocks, she was breathing heavilyand her whole body hurt.

“ _Where’s the resistance_?” Blue eyes asked.

Resistance? What was he talking about? Chell didn’t meet his eye this time but she didn’t say anything.

Not speaking resulted in her getting a kick to the stomach. Chell gasped and started gagging instantlybut all that came out was bile and a few chunks of what might have been the potted meat. So much for that.

“ _Where’s the resistance_?” He asked again.

“I don’t know…” Chell managed to choke out.

That was not the answer they wanted as the bandage on her back was rippedoff and the baton was pressedonto the open wound. Chell’s cries continued as the white mask began to twist the baton into the wound, tearing flesh more than it already was. She didn't bother trying to stay quiet after that.

She wasn’t sure how long it continued that way. They would ask a question she didn’t or couldn't know the answer to, then they’d hit her or electrocute her. At one point, they showed a canteen of water and splashed some on her face to get her attention. Then they poured the entire contents out on the ground in front of her. It was maddening.

Most of the questions had to do with some sort of resistance. Where were they? Where are their supplies? What are they planning? Chell didn’t know any of that so the torture she was going through was all for nothing.

She was getting dizzy and staying awake was getting harder by the minute. If she wanted any chance to get away from these people then she would need to give them something.

" _What are those? Where did you get them?_ " blue eyes asked while pointing to Chell's cube and boots.

She was still catching her breath so her reply didn't come as soon as they wanted. They were justabout to start another round of electric shocks when she coughed out a strained reply. “Wait… I- I'll tell you where I got them…”

The white masks looked to blue eyes. He shook his head at them and they lowered the batons. Chell felt a wave of relief go through her body at the small action.

“ _Where_?”

It was difficult to talk. Between the repeated blows to her stomach and several kicks to her ribs, which she thought might be brokendue to the struggle breathing posed, it was difficult to speak. “A days walk… from where you found me… underground... look for the metal shed in a wheat field. That's all I know.”

“ _Copy. Sentence being carried. Malcompliance verdict: amputate-cauterize-confirm_.”

Life became slow motion after that. The blue eyes pulled out his gun and slowlypointed it down at Chell’s head. She kept her eyes fixed on the soldier, not believing it could actually end like this after everything she went through. They were supposedto let her go, right?

His finger started to tighten around the trigger but before the end could come, he vanished.

Chell blinked in surprised and realized he didn’t actually vanish but had been knockedseveral feet away by some sort of green energy. Looking in the direction in came from, Chell saw the strangest creature yet.

It was a mottled brown color and stood on two legs much like a person, but it’s arms were spindly with a third vestigial arm protruding from its chest. It was hunchedover and green energy was sparking between its two fingered hands. The head was about the size of a basketball and was dominated bya large red eye with a few smaller ones surrounding the central eye.

“To the void with you!” It shouted before firing another stream of energy at one of the white masks. It could talk? It could speak English? The surface trulywas a lot stranger than Chell had first thought it would be.

Blue eyes was standing up again moments later although looking worse for wear. The initial blast from the creature had torn and singed away part of his coat and vest to reveal unnaturallypale skin. It scared Chell with how white it looked against the dark camo. They couldn’t be human.

As if she was forgotten, the soldier picked up his gun and scrambled to her companion cube to use as cover from the creature. He would duck down to reload then pop up to fire his weapon wildly in the general direction of the creature.

The still remaining white mask joined up with the other soldier behind the cube while Chell was lefton the ground. It was her chance to run and she was going to take it.

Rolling onto her stomach was difficult enough with the amount of pain she was in, but standing was near impossible. She managed to anchor her shoulder to the nearby tree and use it as leverage to inch her way to a standing position. With every inch she climbed, the ache from the burns seemed to intensify by the bark digging into the tender flesh.

All the while, the creature was running among trees to dodge the potshots the soldiers were shooting. They were so distracted by the first creature that they didn’t notice a second one coming up from behind and firing a devastating bolt of green energy at them. They both let out a cry of surprise which soon changed to pain before the air was filledwith a high pitch single note tone. It reminded Chell of a heart monitor flatlining.

But now she had to deal with the creatures and they had killed the soldiers like they were nothing. And her hands were still tied!

Not seeing any other option, Chell turned and began to run. She found herself running on her toes as it felt natural after wearing the longfall boots for so long, but her balance felt off. She had to use a tree and lean her shoulder on it every few seconds to catch her breath and regain balance before running again.

She paused for a moment to look back over her shoulder. Her companion cube sat there all alone. It looked so sad and Chell wanted to go back to it, but logic was telling her to keep running. So that’s what she did. She would return for it she told herself.

“Wait!” She heard one of the creatures call. Its voice was deep and gravelly, but Chell didn’t listen to what it said. She kept moving. She could hear the sound of something following her so she increased her speed but that proved to be disastrous. Her balance went off center and without the aid of her hands to stop her fall, Chell crashed into the ground. Her body rolled several times, further aggravating her wounds. She wouldn’t be able to get back up before they were upon her.

She was acutely aware of one of those things standing over her. She managed to flip over onto her back because if she was going to die then she wanted to look into the eyes of what killed her. Her eyes locked onto the large central eye of the creature as it gathered energy into one hand. Chell laid helpless, but eyes defiant as it reached down to touch her forehead. After that, everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the Combine Codes used in this chapter were taken from both the Combine Overwiki and an amazing post on Steam detailing codes and processes for both CP and Combine units in cities and outlying areas. They were a huge help in getting the unique way the soldiers communicate with each other.
> 
> Malignant: Enemy/Anticitizen  
> Code 507: Public Noncompliance  
> Code 69: Possession of illegal resources  
> Code 94: Possession of illegal weaponized contraband  
> Code 17-F: Fugitive Detachment  
> Malcompliance Verdict: Killed/beaten  
> Amputate-Cauterize: Kill at own discretion
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the update and please give comments if you like the story so far. You have no idea how much they motivate me.
> 
> Also, if you want to follow me on tumblr, my url is: suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	5. Chapter 5

Chell _really_ didn’t like being knocked unconscious. That was the first thought she had upon waking up. The second thought was how the hell did she end up in a cave. That goes back to her first reason of disliking being unconscious. You never knew where you would wake up next. For her, it was always either a relaxation pod, relaxation chamber, bottom of a mineshaft, in an elevator... When she thought of it, she had spent more time being unconscious than sleeping.

Sitting up, Chell became aware of a crackling fire nearby, the smell of something cooking, and two gravelly voices speaking. She looked over to see the two creatures talking to each other in strange guttural tone. Had she hallucinated them speaking English? No, she was sure she heard them speak.

Chell didn’t want to alert them that she was awake but she didn’t want to stay near them. They had taken those soldiers down with ease, but why had they not killed her?

Chell looked to the mouth of the cave, getting ready to run, when she noticed her hands were no longer tied. She also noticed sitting nearby was her companion cube with her boots leaning delicately against it. The creatures had brought them along? What did they want from her?

Sighing, she felt her hand brush against something and found it to be one of those soldier's canteens. Without another thought, she popped the lid off and drank deeply.

“Ah! She awakens!”

Chell nearly spit out the water when the creature spoke but resulted in a coughing fit instead. She took another sip to stop the fit before whipping her head around to the creatures.

They were looking at her with interest as they approached. Chell scooted back until she was pressed up against the cave wall.

“There is no need to fear. We mean no harm to the traveler.” One of them said.

“We have stitched flesh and mended broken bones. You were lucky we found you before the Combine could sever your chord,” the other said in turn.

That was the moment Chell realized all her injuries were no longer hurting. In fact, they seemed to be gone. Her ribs didn’t hurt and breathing was easier, the burns on her arms were healed and all that remained were scars. She reached back to her shoulder and found the skin healed over as well.

“We have also removed foreign contaminants that were clinging to the internal structures of your body. They were attempting to deteriorate your essence.” The first one added.

Clinging to her insides? Almost sounded like…  


_‘If you sat on a metal folding chair in the lobby-’_  
_‘It does not like the human skeleton!’_  
_'That's not part of the test. That's asbestos.'_  
_‘Ground up moon rocks are pure poison. I am deathly ill!’_  


The reality that these things managed to heal her injuries and remove whatever Aperture had done to her felt no less than a miracle to Chell. The mere fact that what Aperture had done was already affecting her body only made her feel more grateful to the creatures. Yet again the question came to mind. What were they?

“But not all problems can be solvedfor other matters rely on yourself,” it continued while the other held another small black container. It offered it out to Chell and that's when she saw what it was. Another canteen!

With no hesitation, she took it from the creature and began to drink it justas she did the first. It had a funny aftertaste, but it was water and that was all that mattered to Chell.

“We hope the traveler has an appetite that rivals their thirst! Come, join us in a meal.” The first one called and pointed to the fire. Sure enough, speared all the way through and hanging over the fire were two of those chicken-crab things. They looked even more like chickens with the way they were being cooked at the moment.

She grimaced at the sight but silentlyfollowed behind the two aliens. That’s the only thing she could think to call them instead of creatures or monsters. They did help her although she still wasn’t sure as towhy.

Without her boots, she felt every little pebble and rock dig into the soles of her feet. It felt a little nice as it reminded her that she was on the surface and not dreaming. Once by the fire though, she sat down and enjoyed the warmth it offered.

The aliens stood by the fire, silently watching her. Chell watched them right back. At first glance, they looked exactly the same but she was finally seeing some subtle differences between the two. The one on the left had a more orange color to their large central eye compared to the other. The second had a more wrinkled appearance to their skin compared to the first who was smoother. Other than that, she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference in them as they were the exact same height and build.

The silence lasted for several minutes but there wasn’t any sort of pressure on Chell to speak. The aliens seemed to respect her silence. She liked that because it gave her time to think on the situation.

They could have killed her but they didn’t. They could have left her behind but they didn’t. They could have left her injured but they didn’t. They could have even left her companion cube and boots but they had brought them along as well. She’d occasionally cast a look to her cube just to double check it was still there.

Her thoughts were interrupted byone of them handing over a piece of the not chicken on the fire. She looked at it in her hands and felt disgusted by the thought of eating it, but it smelled nice and her stomach was growling in response. She took a small tentative bite.

The taste… was not actually too bad. It was chewy and the taste was different than anything she could remember, but it wasn’t horrible. The aliens seemed pleased as they too began to eat.

She ate in silence with the aliens. The food offered a nice distraction but once it was gone, the thoughts creeped back in. What could these aliens possibly have to gain from helping her. She’d been betrayed before and she didn’t want that to happen again. Were they going to take her somewhere and leave her for dead or were they just toying with her? Her experiences always led to disaster when it came to something or someone helping her.

It all became too much for her as she broke her silence at last.

“Why?”

Their eyes widened slightlyat the question. She couldn’t tell if it was shock or confusion.

“Why would you help me?” Chell mumbled to them.

“We help all who seek freedom,” the wrinkled one said.

“We help because we too have suffered the yoke of slavery and wish to bring down the Combine once and for all,” the other continued.

There was that word again. They mentioned it a few minutes before but she hadn't questioned it at the time. “Combine?”

They were quiet for several seconds. They looked as if Chell should know what that is.

"What does the traveler know of the Combine?"

“Nothing. What is it?"

Orange eye picked up the conversation. "The group that held you captive. They control this world and countless others. The resistance has worked hard to expunge them from this realm.”

“Resistance? That’s what those soldiers, the Combine, were looking for?” Chell frowned. Just what happened to the world while she was away?

The wrinkled one screwed its mouth in what may have been confusion. "Where has the traveler been that they do not know of these things? Pray tell, what do you remember of this world?"

Chell shrugged her shoulders at that. What was she supposed to say? That she was literally living under a rock for how ever long the Combine has been in control?

"I don't even remember who I am." Not a lie really. She knew her name but the rest was still a mystery.

She was left with more questions than answers with each answer she was provided. The aliens must have sensed her confusion as they moved closer and kneeled in front of Chell. She tensed up but relaxed when they didn't move to hurt her.

“It shall be easier if we show rather than tell. Come. Join hands,” the wrinkled one said. It held out a two-fingered hand that had a small glow of energy dancing around in the palm and lacing between its fingers. It pulsated and flashed in a way that Chell didn’t want to take her eyes off of it. The other alien had the same energy within its own outstretched hand.

Chell hesitantly reached out and took their hands. She felt a strange sense of power flow through her. It could be compared to the hairs on her arms sticking up when a balloon would be rubbed against her skin. The feeling became secondary as the next moment, images began to flash before her eyes and it felt she couldn't breathe.

One moment she was standing on a floating island, a vast expanse in front of her full of wondrous colors. Strange aliens that looked much like a stingray floated by and they would twirl through the air with grace. There was pain through her body, focused around her ankles and neck, when another strange alien with a head like a balloon floated down from above.

The next moment she's in a gray corridor with several humans in jackets like the Combine Soldiers but they had been heavily modified. They all had a symbol that looks like an upside down Y on their sleeves. Lambda, her brain supplied.

Then she was watching as long black cylinders rain from the sky and a three pronged opening pops wide. Several of the strange chicken-crabs jumped out. She hears someone yell out ‘headcrabs’ before the sound of gunfire filled the air. She had been pretty close with their name then…

The scene changes once more. She’s strapped to a chair, surrounded by soldiers. They are talking and she can see humans being led past an open door in chains, most of them sporting bruises and looking as if they had missed a few meals.

The next moment she is back among the floating islands but this time there is a giant alien looking down on her. It sits in a large metal chair with wires hanging down. It's head was massive. Her eyes fixed to its head, she sees it open wide like a flower and then a green and yellow ball of pulsating energy came straight for her. The next moment she was in a hallway and a soldier in white camouflage and a red beret brought a gun up to meet her.

Before the soldier could fire, the scene changeg again and she was running. She wasn't sure why but her body was running and she couldn't stop. Looking back over her shoulder, a creature with a triangular body and three impossibly long legs chased after her. Floating along next to the creature is something that looked much like a slug. She couldn't tear her eyes away from it until the scene changed again.

It continued that way, for how long Chell couldn’t say. Scenes changing and revealing some new horror or revelation. All she knew is the last thing she saw was a bespectacled man in strange metal suit swinging a crowbar directly into her face.

Chell gasped as she leaped back from the aliens. No. Vortigaunts. She knew that now. How did she know that? She didn’t stop moving until her backwas pressed, once more, against the cave wall. She made a point to check over her whole body and face for any sign of injury. Her breathing came fast and hard.

“No need to be alarmedfor you are unharmed. You have bore witness to a small glimpse of the vortessence that binds us all, traveler. We are unable to restore those memories that have been lostbut we wish to aid in the times ahead.”

She had seen what they had seen? So she must have been seeing through the eyes of the vortigaunts. Just what kind of creatures were these things?

The images were still swimming in her head. Justflickers that didn’t want to linger on one thing for long. It reminded Chell too much of the giant screens in GLaDOS’ chamber the first time she had taken her down.

“Black Mesa? That's where this started?”

They only gave a slow nod of their head in response.

She knew that place. She had seen it mentioned back at Aperture right before going up against GLaDOS that first time. Then she heard Cave Johnson mention it in one of his messages in how he believed they were stealing Aperture's designs. She couldn’t quite place it but something else was bothering her about the whole thing...

 _Maybe_ _you’ll find someone else will help you._  
_Maybe Black Mesa?_  
 _That was a joke, ha ha, fat chance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little shorter but I hope you like it all the same!  
> Please review if you liked it.


	6. Chapter 6

Barney had his hands behind his head and eyes fixed on the ceiling. He’d been in the same position for the last hour and yet nothing changed about his condition. Instead of sleeping he’d been focusing on every single thing going around him. At the moment, he was focusing on a rebel and a vortigaunt playing chess.

In Barney’s opinion, the vortigaunt had an unfair advantage due to that weird 'all in one' shared mind vortessence thing. Nonetheless, those two seemed to always play with each other. No matter what, those two never seemed to stop playing chess.

Barney could hear a sudden scrape of the vortigaunts chair. Barney peered over at the pair and noticed him picking up an already captured piece and placing it in the very center of the board. “Comes another to the field.”

“You can’t just add pieces to the board, Bud,” the rebel said while picking the piece up and putting it to the side once more.

The vortigaunt, Bud apparently, reached out and plucked the piece from the table and examined it carefully. Barney didn’t play chess. Now checkers? Checkers he could play. Get him a deck of cards and he’d get a round of poker, blackjack, or Texas hold ‘em going. But chess? That wasn’t his style. Even Gordon didn't like chess. But the chess piece that Bud picked up looked like a little castle. Barney couldn’t remember if that was a rook or a bishop but the vortigaunt was studying it with intensity.

“You have said life is like chess, yes?” Although phrased like a question, Barney could hear the vort had another meaning behind the words.

“Well, yeah, but this is different. That piece is considered dead since its off the board,” the rebel said, not really hearing the second meaning to the vortigaunt's words.

“In life, some pieces are not moved until they are needed, Marcus,” Bud said and placed the piece back down, but not on the board. He kept it near his hand. "Is it not for those who are needed to come back?"

Barney had sat up and watched the exchange unfold. The two devolved back into silence as the game continued. It was as if the entire conversation never happened. Someone coming back when they are most needed did sound familiar to him. Heh, Bud must have been talking about Gordon again.

Finding the whole thing dull, Barney stood up and wandered back towards the labs. He was too wound up to do nothing. There was still so much to do. Why had he even been laying down in the first place?

Barney yawned and rubbed his face but kept walking. He could go for a little longer. Just a little longer then he would get some proper rest. Or at least try. If not, then he'd just have to get back to work.

“Hey, Calhoun? You don’t look so good, man. Maybe you should get some rest,” The rebel, Marcus, said. Barney took a good look at him, trying to remember the face with the name. He always made a point to remember everyone’s face because he never knew when the last time he’d see them would be. Marcus had a thick head of shaggy brown hair, a hooked nose that looked like it may have been broken at one point and sloppily set, and a patchy growth of facial hair. He looked like he needed a shave and a few good meals but that was most everyone in White Forest.

“Nah, I’m fine. I’m just going for a walk is all,” Barney smiled at the man. He was tired but he'd gone longer without sleep before and he couldn’t stop moving yet. If he did stop then that gave the Combine time to move and he didn’t want to lose anyone else.

Bud looked to Barney and gave the closest thing to a frown it could, “It is unwise for the Calhoun to push himself so. Please rest.”

“Really. I’ll be okay. I just want to check on Magnusson and Kleiner,” Barney replied while walking backwards out of the room. He didn’t need someone babysitting him. That was his job. He had to look after these people.

He made a beeline for the labs, but apparently going there was a mistake. No sooner had he walked in that he wanted to walk back out as another argument was taking place.

“-only saying that it could be a possibility.”

“Please, Kleiner. It’s ridiculous. It’s been over twenty years.”

“Why would all this data be pouring in now when its been quiet for so long?”

“A bird must have flipped a switch? An old power core exploded? Nothing is alive in there because it’s a death trap!”

They hadn’t seen him yet. He could still slip out unnoticed! Maybe-

_Click._

And there went the door closing behind him. Aw crap, he thought to himself as Magnusson and Kleiner looked his way.

Magnusson had a vein on his forehead bulging in annoyance while Kleiner looked as if he was on the verge of smacking Magnusson in the head with his clipboard. God how Barney wished Eli could have been with him. Now he had to deal with two stubborn old men who were also two of the most important people to the resistance by himself.

“Uh… hey, docs. What’s going on?” Barney said, breaking the tension he caused by neglecting to catch the door.

The two men were quick to compose themselves and moved back to their respective areas. That was another thing Eli was always needed for. He had always acted as a middleman for those two. Whenever their arguments would get out of hand, Eli would be the one to mediate and find a solution or tell them to knock it off. One time he had made them hug it out. Barney really wished he had a camera that day. At least he would always cherish how grumpy Magnusson looked while having his face pressed against Kleiner's shoulder.

Kleiner at least had the ability to look sheepish about them being caught in another argument at the moment. He cast a look to another section of their shared lab. It was only a desk with several small books sitting on it but there was also an old and tattered lab coat. Eli’s.

“I was just discussing,” Kleiner paused to look at Magnusson who gave a snort, “with Doctor Magnusson that more of those strange readings are coming in from Upper Michigan.”

Good old Kleiner. Once he had an idea in his head, he didn’t want to give up on it. Barney had done his best to dissuade the man from attempting to domesticate a headcrab, but Barney failed at that. Miserably he might add. Sure the thing calmed down after having its internal beak removed so it couldn’t clamp down on some poor saps head, but it annoyed Barney to no end. Always jumping out and scaring the hell out of him or being a nuisance. There was one time it jumped and managed to lodge itself on Barney's head. Almost gave him a heart attack. The thing practically got Gordon killed when it messed with the teleporter in Kleiner’s lab back in City 17. He’d almost killed the damn thing before because he mistook it for one of the wild ones. Kleiner gave Barney a lecture that reminded him too much of his father.

Strange thing was, he hadn’t seen the headhumper since he arrived at Black Mesa. Had it finally run away? Or did some rebel unknowingly kill it? Barney wouldn't mind but he would mind having a moping Dr. Kleiner.

Getting back to the topic at hand, Barney put his hands on his hips and sighed, “Any idea what they could mean?”

“Theoretically, yes. It could mean someone is still alive inside,” Kleiner responded.

“It’s a fools errand, Kleiner. What are the odds of that place going dark for over twenty years and suddenly being up and running again? The odds of that are more likely than the Combine just packing up and going home tomorrow,” Magnusson crossed his arms and huffed.

Although rude, he had a point. The mere idea that someone decided to take a nap for twenty years and suddenly turn the power back on was ridiculous to think about. But stranger things have happened. The two scientists and his self were testaments to that after everything they'd encountered since Black Mesa.

Kleiner stuck a finger up in the air for emphasis while looking to both Magnusson and Barney, “Yes. That’s the exact point I’m making. We have no idea what they had been working on prior to going dark. Why, they could have perfected s-“

“Listen to me, Kleiner. Anyone who goes in there, does not come out!” Magnusson interrupted. Although he sounded short, there was an underlying tone that made Barney weary. Barney had not seen Magnusson act like that before. Sure, he’d seen the man annoyed and plain angry, but there was such conviction in his voice that Barney didn’t know what to think.

Kleiner deflated, but looked to Barney with a slightly pleading face. Oh no. He knew that face.

Barney sighed and walked with Kleiner back over to his desk. The older man shuffled a stack of papers and organized them before mumbling, “I just think it wise to keep an eye on things. If we are getting these readings, then I’m sure the Combine is _too_. You never know what might happen.”

Magnusson looked like he had something to say but Barney cut in first. “Say, doc? You heard anything from Gordon and Alyx? Got to thinking about them and I've gone and worried myself about what trouble they could have gotten into.”

That’s right. Change the subject. Get them both thinking about something else. Anything at all so they won't be at each other's throats for five seconds.

“With good reason,” Kleiner said, a more familiar and serious expression painting his features. “We managed to get a message from them a few hours ago. Apparently their helicopter was brought down. They survived but they will have to travel on foot to reach the Borealis. It's will be nearly a two day walk for them unless they find transportation."

It was concerning that their ride was gone, but those two were smart enough to find someway back home. Although having to trek through the snow for two days didn't sound like much fun. Poor Gordon having to deal with that metal suit of his. Hell, Alyx could find shelter or a way to keep them warm at night. A little cold wouldn't be able to get those two.

“Listen, thanks for the info, but I should probably get back to work,” Barney said while fighting another yawn.

Kleiner frowned at him. Dammit. He’d noticed. “Barney? When’s the last time you got any sleep?"

“Aw not you too. Listen, I’ll get some rest soon, but I just need to do a few more things, alright?”

Kleiner fixed him with a stern look but the man didn’t have it in him to push anymore. His shoulders sagged in defeat. “Alright but promise me you’ll take care of yourself. You do so much for us already.”

Barney gave the man a thumbs up. “Sure thing. I’ll get to rest soon as I’m done.”

The thing about war is that the work is never done, Barney thought to himself.

“But-“

“Doc! I’m _fine_!” Barney snapped back.

Kleiner held his hands to his chest as if burned. Barney winced at that. He didn’t mean to bite the man’s head off, but he didn’t need a babysitter.

“Sorry… But relax. It was one yawn. I’ll see ya tomorrow, alright?”

Kleiner nodded. “I’ll see if I can find Lamar. I have no idea where she could have gotten to. Really. It’s been days and I still haven’t found her!”

"I'll keep my eyes open, doc," Barney assured and turned towards the door once more.

Outside the lab, he stopped to rest against the wall and rub at his eyes. He just needed to go a little longer. The main thing bothering him was the pounding behind his eyes. Maybe he just needed some food? Yeah, a little bit of food and he'd be right as rain.

The mess hall of white forest was more or less a place to eat and relax. It had your standard areas of a cafeteria: a small kitchen tucked into a separate room just off the eating area, some couches tucked into one corner, and rows of tables. Although the tables differed greatly from the cafeterias Barney had grown up with. They were mostly salvaged from surrounding areas or built from chopped down trees. Chairs were much the same way; large wooden spools, repurposed crates, and benches were set up near the tables to sit on, some even being stumps from the now demolished saw mill.

Heading into the mess hall revealed a few rebels lingering around. It was after the dinner rush but there should have been more people here. Another painful reminder of his failure to protect everyone.

Barney took his tiny meal, a single potato, from the chefs before joining up with two people he recognized from his group in the forest.

“Hey, Liz. Hey, Sven,” Barney said and slipped into a bench across from them.

Liz was a woman not much younger than Barney. She had short brown hair that she always kept tucked under an olive green beanie, big brown eyes, and a smile that made you think everything would be okay. She had a sunny disposition that helped keep morale up when their group made their way to White Forest Base. He hadn’t seen that smile since they arrived though. He missed it.

Sven, on the other hand, looked about Barney’s age, maybe a few years older, and had short cropped black hair and blue eyes. He was built like a truck and had a rough bedside manner. Great for a soldier but not what you would expect to see in a medic. He was one of the best damn medic’s Barney had ever met. Apparently, he’d been studying to be a trauma surgeon before the world went to hell in a handbasket twenty years prior. He'd had done a great job of tending wounds in both City 17 and the wastelands. The escape from City 17 and the hike to White Forest all but emptied their medical supplies. The afternoon they strolled through the fences, half the group was taken to get proper medical treatment.

Liz met Barney’s eyes and forced a smile but there was nothing genuine about it. It didn’t have the same warmth to it as the others did. Sven kept the same stern look on his face as he always had while munching on a small combine ration packet. Someone must have looted through the combine trucks after the attack to get those. “How’s it going, boss?” Liz asked.

“Been better. But everyone could say the same,” Barney mumbled. He took a small bite of his food but he didn’t taste it. It was all motion with none of the want.

Sven didn’t remove his eyes from Barney. That man was always on the watch for any sign of weakness. He was a _great_ medic sure, but he was also a man you couldn’t hide from. “You sure, Calhoun?”

“Yeah. Really, I’m fine.” Barney had to control himself from snapping at Sven like he did Kleiner. He didn’t do anything except ask a simple question.

Sven frowned at that. “Get some rest. You don’t look good.”

Barney scowled at that, “Gee. Thanks, man.”

“Just my professional opinion,” Sven stated before biting into his food again. "But what do I know?"

He didn't feel very hungry anymore. Barney looked down at his food before sliding it to Liz and Sven. “Eat up you two. You need it more than me. I’m going to see about joining night patrol.”

Yeah. Night patrol. How had he not thought of it sooner. He should have started helping out with that when he first arrived. If he was the Combine, he’d want to strike while everyone else was asleep and not expecting an attack. Hell, night raids were a common thing back in City 17. He’d been forced by Civil Protection to join in capturing citizens and Barney would release any he could save. He hated being undercover with the CPs but it gave the resistance an edge.

Barney got up from the table, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. He had to grab onto the edge of another table to steady himself before exiting the mess hall. He didn’t want to hear them ask any more questions about his wellbeing. He was fine! He didn't need everyone to baby him as if he was helpless.

Barney was the picture of health. He'd always prided himself about being in shape but he never thought he'd have to use his strength. In fact, he felt so good that he'd probably take the morning patrol too. No one could tell him that he was being too helpful. All he would need to do is- Had the room always been spinning?

The wave of dizziness that hit Barney came so sudden that he had to lean his back against the nearest wall. There were spots dancing in front of his face and no matter how much he massaged his eyes, they wouldn't disappear. He just had to let it pass is all. It would pass and he’d get right back to work!

That didn’t happen though. The moment he tried to take a step was like a signal for his entire body to betray him. The only thing he became aware of was the feeling of floating. He thought he heard someone calling his name, but he was out cold before he hit the ground. Damn. He was going to miss the night patrol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you like the chapter please review. They mean a lot and provide a lot of motivation for me.


	7. Chapter 7

Chell didn’t know why she decided to stay with them, but she did. Everything in her was saying to go alone, don’t speak, and just fend for herself like she’d always done. That was not the case with the vortigaunts because she walked between them down the highway towards a destination unknown. Not fully unknown as they knew it was a town, but they didn’t know what to expect once they got there.

All the while walking, Chell was still dealing with the flashing images in her head. Every now and then she’d have to steady herself because she’d be caught in another wave of what she now knew as memories shared by the vortigaunts. Apparently, they all had a shared telepathic link. If one experiences or witnesses something, then they all share and see it. Chell didn’t understand how anyone could possibly deal with that.

After stopping for the third time in an hour, the orange eyed one frowned, “Is the Traveler feeling well?”

Chell nodded. “Just trying to sort through the… What did you call it again? The vorte-“

“Vortessence, yes. We must apologize. We forget humans may not always make sense of what is revealed during times of revelation like the one you experienced,” he replied.

“As we mentioned before, what we witness, all vorti-kind witness as well,” the other said.

That was another thing about them. They didn’t really have any sense of gender but it was easier to refer to them as ‘he’ and ‘him’ because of their voices. Although rough, they had a masculine sound to them. Would they be considered ‘its’?

They fell into a calm silence after that. Chell still had some water in the canteen that she now carried in the sling with her companion cube. She didn’t have any sort of weapon since the soldiers took hers, but being with two aliens that could provide protection helped ease the nakedness Chell felt.

“What say you? Where have you come from?” Orange eye asked.

The question caught Chell off guard. She had not expected them to ask questions about her life after the long stretches of silence they had already been having. The silence had been comforting.

“Sorry?” Chell responded.

It looked amused at her, but there was also patience. “Your kind calls this ‘small talk’. It’s polite, yes? We are making conversation with the Traveler.”

Chell found herself fidgeting at the question. She never really fidget before or she didn’t think she did. The brief flashes of memory she had of her testing application made her think she was bold and not the nervous type. Not really having any other answer, she replied, “Aperture.”

Both the vortigaunts perked up at the mention of it. “Ah! The place of many a mystery for our collaborators!”

Wait… There were others who wanted to know more about Aperture? She honestly hadn’t expected them to search for answers about the place after all the bad press. The little she had seen in Old Aperture had told her all she needed to know about the experiences the public had with Aperture. Sure it may have been a famous scientific research center at one point but Chell thought they had been left to rot after GLaDOS took over.

“Pray! Why is it that you have left the place of wonders?” Orange eye asked.

Chell shifted the cube once more and found her hands tightening ever so slightly. They wanted to know how she escaped? Or what truly happened with Aperture? She wouldn’t be able to give the whole story but she could tell her story.

So that’s what Chell did.

She started from the first thing she remembered.

She started with the preliminary testing questions and how they were confusing and contradictory to speak about. It was like it was designed to make someone feel helpless from the beginning. She also remembered how there were several involving her favorite type of cake and how she preferred to eat it. Everything before that day was a blank to her. It all took place in a small office about the size of a closet with the proctor, a single table, and a computer sitting on it.

Chell explained how she had this instinctual urge to not say a word to the people there and that she didn’t feel like she belonged among them. She didn’t remember ever leaving that office.

The next thing she remembered was waking up in the relaxation pod. Her memory was clear after that because it was the most recent thing to happen. There was confusion and wonder but also the ever present caution that Aperture made her feel. Chell had known something was wrong because she didn’t even know how she got there or who she was. That was when the initial panic had set in. All through the tests, Chell had done her best to remember any inkling of what happened to her.

All the while moving through tests, she had to deal with the ever present voice of GLaDOS. She had started off innocent enough but there was the way her voice would glitch and fizzle out as if it was planned to try and trip Chell up in a test. Every now and then she would get this feeling that the voice was reacting to what she was doing. Her feelings had proven true the moment she had escaped the final test chamber.

The vortigaunts never reacted to her story, but they listened intently. She was mentioning how she was forced to throw her companion cube into an incinerator was the only time she thought she saw a reaction but it was only for the wrinkled one to cast a glance to her cube. Her cube was still dirty. She would need to find a way to clean all the ash and dust off it.

All through Aperture, she had help. Some unseen artist aided her journey by sending her in the direction she was needed to be. It may not have been the exit but it had led her where GLaDOS had been.

After taking down GLaDOS and seeing the surface, Chell went on to talk about being dragged back inside the facility once more and waking up in the relaxation center. Then along came Wheatley.

She had thought he was charming but incredibly stupid at times. Like how his ‘hacking’ skills consisted of smashing windows or cracking codes by trying to go in a sequential order.

Then came the betrayal. She told how both GLaDOS and herself were thrown down a shaft and landed in Old Aperture.

While down there, she had felt she actually started to bond with GLaDOS and see things from her perspective. Had she been forced into a computer like Caroline, she probably would have wanted vengeance against the people who did that to her. Even though GLaDOS didn't truly remember her time as Caroline until the end. Chell had believed that was the reason GLaDOS did what she did to the scientists.

Once back into the upper levels of Aperture, Chell went on to explain how she and GLaDOS managed to take down Wheatley and put her back in charge. She then spoke of how she woke up in the floor of an elevator after being pulled back into the facility from space.

GLaDOS had deleted Caroline from her brain… For some reason that hurt Chell, but it still didn’t stop GLaDOS from releasing her back to the surface. Although the AI did attempt to scare her one last time with the turrets.

Chell had been angry and scared when she saw them but the moment they started to sing, she relaxed. She had heard them sing like that in one of the hidden artist’s dens but now they were singing to her. The song had been beautiful and Chell desperately wished she knew what they were saying, but it would be something she'd remember fondly.

Then she was on the surface. Once done with Aperture, she skimmed over what she found in the Aperture town.

"-after that I woke up in their camp. That's when they started the torture and asking questions about the resistance. Then you two showed up before they could kill me."

The vortigaunts didn’t interrupt once and Chell found herself happy for that. They took everything in stride and made a point to listen to her. They actually acted like they cared for her.

When she didn’t speak any more, they took that as indication that she was done. They both inclined their heads and closed their eyes in what looked like prayer once they put their hands together.

“So you too have felt the of joy of freedom to only have the yoke of servitude once more wrapped around your neck?” Orange eye asked.

Chell inclined her own head and thought of the images she had been shown. That giant creature with the bulbous head, the Nihilanth, had enslaved the vortigaunts just as the Combine have done to the human race. She may be free of Aperture but these beings only knew slavery. She frowned before slowly reaching out to place a hand on orange eye’s back.

Chell didn’t think she was one for physical contact because it felt strange to reach out and touch him but it could have been her own feelings or how his skin felt beneath her fingers. Either way, Chell pushed her feelings aside so that she could offer what little she had to her companions. The vortigaunt gave what she thought could be a smile back, but it was difficult to determine due to the shape of their mouths.

Silence took over the group once more.

Chell never realized it before but her companion cube was rather heavy even when it was in the sling. Back in the test chambers the portal gun had been used to carry it with its zero point gravity field control. Chell shook her head at that. Was that what it was called? She hadn’t been aware that she knew the name for what carried the cubes around.

Not thinking anything more, she shifted her cube once more and sighed.

“Does something trouble you, Traveler?” the wrinkled one asked.

Chell shrugged then readjusted the cube once more.

The vortigaunt noticed and came to a stop in front of Chell. “Please. Allow us to carry the burden.”

Chell’s eyes narrowed slightly as she turned her body in a small defensive posture. She didn’t like the idea of anyone else carrying her cube anymore. It was hers! She looked over her shoulder at it and felt sad once her eyes glanced over the surface. It was dirty. She should have cleaned it up already and try to fix the dents in it from Combine bullets and the high energy pellets of Aperture. She should have done more to protect it. She really was a monster to let that happen to her cube!

But there was the fact that it was incredibly heavy and the vortigaunts had proven to be trustworthy enough. They were gentle with her so maybe…? With a sigh, Chell carefully removed the sling from around her shoulders and passed it to the vortigaunt. He was just as careful to put it over his shoulders much like it had been on Chell’s. Once she made sure he had it in place, she rolled her shoulders to ease the tension from them.

“Just as you hold mysteries, so does your strange companion,” the vortigaunt said before starting to walk once more.

Chell was confused by his words. It was a companion cube, albeit hers, but a companion cube nonetheless. She herself may have been a mystery but that was Aperture’s fault. Everything was their fault in her life. All she knew was her name and that her father worked at Aperture. The only reason she even remembered her father was because of that damn potato project that was left near the neurotoxin generator. She wanted to know who she was, but everything and everyone who could have told her was probably dead. If it wasn't for her cube, she would have been alone in the world.

Chell fell back in line with both Vortigaunts as they ventured closer and closer to the next city. The silence took over again but after her story, all three were more open to asking questions. The vortigaunts would ask Chell how she felt or what she could remember of her past while Chell asked questions pertaining to the lingering visions in her head.

She was in the middle of asking a question about who the man in the orange armor was when she was interrupted by a strange buzzing sound. The next moment, something large and solid rammed into her back. causing a sharp corner of her cube to dig painfully into her spine. She was on the ground moments later and felt something attempting to claw at her. There was a loud clicking noise followed by electrical energy from the vortigaunts before whatever was on back was replaced by a cold slime splashing over her body.

She rolled onto her back and felt something warm among the cold slime causing her shirt to stick to her back. She'd worry about it later and focus on the more pressing issue, their newest visitors. Moving to her feet, Chell got her first look at another strange new creature. They were giant bug-like creatures with long hindlegs, triangular shaped heads, and wings folded tight to their bodies. They were mostly green in color with flecks of red and yellow spots dotting the hard shell that protected their wings. She noticed how they would burst from the ground in a cloud of dirt and then push themselves into the air with their powerful legs and glide towards the frenzy with their wings. They reminded her of grasshoppers.

The wrinkled vortigaunt dropped her cube sling on the ground before summoning his own bolt of energy and firing it at the bugs. It caught one just as it landed and it burst into several pieces and yellow blood burst out in several directions. A quick look down revealed that was what her back was covered in, but a sharp pain was also present in her back. She pressed her hand to the area and brought it back to her line of sight. Her fingers came back red.

So she was injured once more. She growled out a curse before looking around for a weapon. There were several more bugs coming and Chell really wished she had something! Her fingers were twitching, pulling invisible triggers of the portal gun she longer had in her hands. There had to be something she could do.

The vortigaunts were able to fire bolt after bolt of energy but they were too focused on one direction. Looking back, Chell noticed another of those bugs burst from the ground and lunge towards them. Without thinking, Chell picked up her sling and swung it with as much force as she could, catching the creature mid-flight. It shrieked in pain and toppled next to the vortigaunts. Orange eye didn’t hesitate to lift a hooved foot and bringing it down on the creatures head. It shot Chell an appreciative smile before firing another bolt at the remaining creatures.

As quick as they appeared, they stopped. It was one of the most intense moments Chell had experienced on the surface. Feeling brave, Chell creeped over to one of the burrows and found it connected to a series of tunnels.

She didn't see any more of the bugs but she did see a strange grub like creature clinging to the walls of the tunnel. It had startled her at first as it was only inches away from Chell's face, but she was able to get a good look at it. It had six stubby legs, a luminescent body, and made a chirping noise when it realized Chell was nearby.

The vortigaunts must have heard the noise as one of them came over and reached down and easily plucked it from the tunnel wall. It made a more frantic noise before it being crushed in the vortigaunts hand. It bled yellow and a small yellow ball that glowed brightly fell to the ground.

“What were those?” Chell asked, catching her breath.

The wrinkled vortigaunt poked his foot at the mostly intact body of the one Chell had hit with her companion cube. “Antlions,” he answered. “Back in our home, vortigaunts specialized in antlion husbandry but now… they have grown unruly.”

Orange eye had picked up the small yellow ball and turned to Chell. "You are injured. Please, allow this one to provide you with care. Antlion grubs produce a substance that heals and soothes minor injuries," he said while holding the tiny ball.

Chell touched her back again and hissed in pain. She didn't want to ruin her clothes by bleeding all over them but she was also weary of the effects that the grub ball might have. But then again, the vortigaunts knew this new world better than Chell. Sighing, she nodded and went down to her knees and pulled her shirt up enough to expose the lower part of her back to the vortigaunt. He then pressed the glowing bulb to her wound until it burst. She felt whatever was within run across her skin and drip down into her pants while the vortigaunt smoothed most of it into her wound. It stung but also felt nice in a way.

"The wound has stopped leaking and should heal on it's own without worry," he said as he helped Chell to her feet.

Once she was up, both orange eye and wrinkles looked to where the antlions had come from and frowned. “We must hurry though. How does the Traveler fair?” Wrinkles asked.

She was feeling better already despite the soreness of the afflicted area. Nodding her head, she picked up the cube sling once more and gave a thumbs up as an answer. They returned the nod while one of them picked up mostly intact antlion carcass and slung it on their back for some reason.

“Excellent. Antlions are territorial beasts and we fear what else may appear if we remain for much longer,” Orange stated. Just like that, the group was more or less jogging to get away from the scene of their attack.

Chell was able to keep up with them after spending so much time running in Aperture. Thinking back, she had been able to run pretty well then. Had she always been good at running and jumping? Even if she had been, it only meant it came in handy for what she was doing.

Chell couldn’t be sure how long they jogged for, but she knew that she was grateful when they finally stopped. Yes she was in good shape but jogging for miles with a heavy cube on her back was difficult. Chell shook her head at that. She wasn’t going to think anymore on how it would be easier to leave the cube behind. It was her companion and in no way a burden!

The group made camp a short distance off the road next to a large rock formation. It provided protection from the wind and blocked the view from anyone coming down the road. Chell cleared an area for a fire and piled up some kindling while the wrinkled one gave the area a small jolt of energy. A few moments later a small flame took to the kindling and they had a fire.

Apparently the antlion carcass was to be their dinner as both vortigaunts began to peel back the hard exoskeleton and pierced the soft innards with sticks. They then began to from the sticks so that they would hang over the fire to cook.

While they had been preparing dinner, Chell had watched their movements and tried to memorize how to prepare, cut, and prepare an antlion. If she ever parted ways with the vortigaunts or just found herself alone, she wanted to know how to prepare food in the wild.

It was while the antlion was cooking did something register with Chell. Other than the sound of a distant bird, the fire crackling, or even the antlion meat popping and sizzling from the fire, Chell could hear something else. It sounded like… music? There was a distinct melody to the sound but also a dissonance to it as well.

The vortigaunts took notice of the sound as their heads perked up from the antlion meat and turned towards the direction of the sound. Chell frowned when she looked back over her shoulder but the only thing she could see was her companion cube. Crawling over to it, Chell placed an ear against the cold metal. There! It was her cube! Her cube was _singing_! It was singing for _her_!

Chell had heard her other cube sing too. It sang back in Aperture with the chamber that had a broken emancipation grill, but GLaDOS had fizzled all the cubes. She wasn’t able to keep the singing cubes, but now her own cube was singing! It must have finally forgiven her for throwing it in the fire!

She found herself hugging the cube and a smile plastered on her face. It did love her if it was singing!

Chell heard one of the vortigaunts approaching but she didn’t look up. She could hear the sound of the vortigaunt gathering energy and then it released it in a crackle onto her cube. She felt a small tingle of electricity and she was about to protest that they hurt her cube, but she was cut off by her cube's reaction. It’s singing had grown louder. The song was becoming even clearer and Chell found she recognized the song. Although there was no lyrics, the chords matched that of the turret opera. Why would it sing that? Chell found she didn’t care, she only loved that it was singing for her!

Chell stood to her feet to get a better look at her cube and found the vortigaunt still had a hand on the top of it. She saw another surge of energy flow into the cube and the music only grew louder and the hearts on the side seemed to glow. It was beautiful. Then as suddenly as the music started, it stopped but the hearts continued to shine bright, casting pink shadows across the ground.

Another sound soon filled the small camp. It was metal sliding against metal and a knot started forming in Chell’s stomach at what it could mean. She watched in horror as the metal discs with the hearts plastered on the sides fell from her cube .

It felt like a punch to her stomach. Her faithful companion had been desecrated by these monsters! They stopped the beautiful singing that her cube produced but for what reason? It never hurt them! They could only be jealous because they shared such a close bond! Chell felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as she started to stride forward to confront the vortigaunt. She didn’t even get two steps before she froze in place.

Chell had seen the wrinkled vortigaunt reach inside her companion cube where one of the plates had fallen away and pull something out. Her breathing hitched and heart skipped a beat. It happened all in slow motion. The sleek white casing followed by a black barrel and protective chamber, then the three arms for the zero point energy manipulators. The vortigaunt held the device in his hands and examined it with a curious expression. He held it out towards Chell as if he was a knight offering up a sword to their king.

Chell wished she could have been at a loss for words. Isn't that what was normally done in that kind of situation? Confronted by something so surprising, someone was to go silent? Chell wished she could have been silent or at least said something more eloquent. Instead, for lack of better words to say at seeing a portal gun again, Chell mumbled, "Holy shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Chell has another meeting with some of the new locals, but at least she has two new friends to help her out. Such a shame her old friend had to suffer.
> 
> Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> If you liked it, please review. They help me stay motivated!


	8. Chapter 8

Barney was awakened by someone coughing and then groaning in pain. Opening his eyes revealed he was laying in a cot between two rebels, one getting bandages changed while the other slept. The second had one of their legs wrapped in bandages from the knee down. Well, at least he knew he was in the infirmary but for what reason?

He remembered being with Liz and Sven then heading somewhere… He couldn’t remember where he had been heading. That couldn’t be good.

He tried to sit up but that only resulted in his entire body protesting against him. He was sore all over and every joint was stiff. He felt like he went ten rounds with a Hunter and then got thrown into the ring with a former heavyweight champion of the world for good measure.

Barney groaned before exerting as much energy he could to get himself sitting up.

He had one leg already off the bed and was about to swing over when he heard a someone call out, “Calhoun!”

The voice was firm and made Barney freeze at once, his other leg stuck in a bent position on the cot. It was rare to find Barney feeling like a kid again but that’s what happened. That voice made him freeze much like when his mom caught him sneaking cookies before dinner or the time his dad found him drinking a beer behind the house when he was fifteen.

Looking to the source of the voice, Barney was met with the scowling face of Sven tending to another patient. The patient had a bullet wound to the arm and was having their bandages changed by the medic. He watched Sven finish bandaging up the rebel before the medic came stalking towards him.

Barney thought his bedside manner had been rough before but he had not been prepared for the man to put a hand to his chest and force him back down onto the cot. He then lifted Barney's leg back into place on the cot before scowling once more. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

Barney sighed and rubbed his face with his left hand, “Getting back to work. I’ve got to go check on things.”

Sven looked pissed. “Like hell you are. You passed out in the hallway last night and hit your head. You’re staying right here.”

He did what? He thought hard about it and Barney did remember going into the hall, but nothing after that.

Barney groaned again. “Come on, man. You know I can’t do that. There’s work for me to do.”

Sven’s scowl only deepened. “I repeat. Like _hell_ you are. I mean, really? When was the last time you got any sleep?”

Barney tried to think of that. He had squeezed in an hour nap the day before, right? No. He had tried but that was a lost cause. Didn’t he- no, he had helped Kleiner and Magnusson that night.

The mere fact that he was having to think about it gave Sven all the answers he needed. “You dumbass! No wonder you are sick. What about food? How much have you eaten, besides the two bites of a ration pack last night?”

Once again Barney had to pause and think. His last full meal had been back in City 17. Much like everyone else around the base, the uprising in City 17 left everyone getting food wherever they could when they could just like sleep. That would put Barney’s last meal nearly two weeks ago. Since then, he had been limited himself to a bite of food here or there to keep up his strength. There was always someone else who needed it more.

“I think… I had some rations day before yesterday?”

“You dumbass! I swear, if you weren’t half dead, I’d kill you for how stupid you are!”

Barney felt sheepish at that. Yeah he hadn’t been taking the best care of himself but all the food in the base could and should be going to the people who needed it most. Barney had a job to keep people safe but he couldn’t do that if he was stuffing his face with food.

“You are staying here in bed and resting. You are getting some food in you as well,” Sven grumbled and took a few steps over to a dented up file cabinet and pulled out something wrapped in paper. He tossed it into Barney’s lap without even looking at the man. “Eat that and then get back to sleep.”

Sven walked off while Barney slowly unwrapped the paper. The paper had been one of those propaganda posters of Dr. Breen. Inside the paper was an apple and some headcrab jerky. Barney wasn’t the biggest fan of eating headcrabs but the apple was something of a novelty. So the orchard they planted a few years back was finally giving off fruit! He felt guilty for even thinking of taking the first bite but when he looked up, Sven gave him a pointed look and stabbed a finger at the food in his lap. Sighing, Barney took a bite of the apple while keeping eye contact with Sven.

Barney tried not to think of how good the apple tasted but that was a losing battle because it was the best thing he had tasted in a long time. The last time he had tasted anything remotely sweet had been nearly ten years back when he found a candy bar and gave it to Alyx for a birthday gift. She had been twelve at the time and shared it with her father, Kleiner, and himself. Damn he missed chocolate. And cake. What he wouldn’t give for a chocolate cake. He'd even take carrot cake…

He finished the apple nearly eating the core with it. Barney looked to the headcrab jerky and frowned. He really didn’t want it. Looking up, he noticed Sven tending to someone else so he quickly shoved it into one of his pockets for the time being.

“Calhoun! Don’t try to hide it from me,” Sven called without even looking to him.

Barney froze, hand half in and half out of his pocket. Was he a freaking owl or did he have eyes in the back of his head? _What the shit_ , Barney thought to himself.

There were a couple pieces of the jerky so perhaps he could be sly about it. He left the others in his pocket but took a single piece out and began to nibble on it. It was tough, salty, and tasted the way rotten potatoes smelled. Sure the recently cooked crabs didn’t taste half bad but when dried out and made into jerky, it lost everything that kept the flavor in check. Despite that, he pushed through it and swallowed the bit of jerky, but keeping the rest hidden in his pocket.

He must have either eluded Sven’s eyes or the medic was letting him get away with it since Barney didn’t get anymore retorts from the man. Sven came back to Barney’s side a few minutes later and took the apple core away as he mumbled about people not getting enough nutrition and the place falling apart at the seams. Barneyhad been trying to prevent anyone else from starving and get White Forest back in working condition so Sven's words only made him want to work harder. He needed to be back out in the halls, clearing debris and be on patrol. Barney could already feel a plan forming on getting out early. He would need to bide his time for a couple hour.

Sneaking out would be pretty easy. Barney would have to wait for Sven to leave the medical wing when someone else arrives to take over. It’s not rocket science and the next person would surely not be a receptive to him slipping out against his order.

As it turned out, Barney didn’t have to wait for too long. It was just over an hour when another medic came in to relieve Sven for the day. That was when Barney made his move. While the medic went off into the next room to wash up, Barney slipped out of the bed, despite the protest of his sore muscles and throbbing headache. Once in a standing position he moved towards the exit as fast as he could. He paused for a moment to make sure Sven wasn’t lingering around before walking out and assuming a casual pace as if he didn’t just sneak out of the medical wing like a teenager would sneak out of school. Walk like you own the place and no one would question what you are doing.

Since he was free from the confines of the medical wing, he could get back to work. He looked out the nearby window with the thin metal lattice preventing glass from shattering and noticed the sun was pretty high in the sky. If he had a watch, he’d guess it was a little past noon. His patrol time would have passed but he could pick one up later so he decided to stop by Kleiner and Magnusson’s lab first. They would have something for him to do at least.

Barney passed a few rebels in the hall and they exchanged passing glances and greetings. They tried to ask if he was feeling better but he gave them a dismissive answer. “Wouldn’t be walking around if I didn’t right?” They had shared a laugh over that. In truth he still felt like shit, but no one else needed to know.

The moment Barney tried to step into the lab, he was met by another rebel carrying out a large crate. Barney had to sidestep as the rebel fumbled with the crate a bit but managed to recover before it dropped. The rebel was younger than Barney and had a head of thin blonde hair and blonde stubble attempting to resemble Gordon’s goatee but it was a pitiful resemblance. The rebel sighed in relief as he made sure the crate was secured and then kept moving down the hall while Barney stepped fully in the lab.

“Hey, doc? You here?” Barney called out.

He heard a dull thud and a muffled groan as Kleiner crawled out from under his desk. He looked up and when he saw Barney, his eyes widened in alarm, “Barney! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

Ah dammit. Just how many people knew about his stumble the previous night?

“Nah, Kleiner. I’m fine! Thought I’d come by and see if you needed any help,” he said with as much cheer as he could muster.

Doctor Kleiner actually looked a little embarrassed by Barney’s words as he rubbed his head where he'd bumped it against the underside of the desk. “I’m sorry Barney but we don’t have anything for you. We already had Kurtis, the fellow that just left, aide us today with you being ill and all. Frankly, I believe you should get some more rest. You still look tired.”

Barney sighed and tried to not look upset by his words while leaning against the nearby wall. “Come on, doc. I’m feeling better. I just wore myself out,” Barney explained, his arms crossed but his eyes firmly fixed on the floor. He didn’t want to meet Kleiner’s eyes out of fear the man would be able to see through his lies. “You sure you don’t have anything for me?”

“Quite sure,” Kleiner responded without hesitation. “Please Barney, get back to you room and rest. You can go one day without working.”

Then Kleiner did something that surprised Barney. He took him by the arm and started dragging him out of the room and into the hall. Once there, Kleiner ducked back inside and clicked a lock in place to keep Barney from coming back in. Sure, Kleiner was no stranger to weapons as he’d seen the man fire a shotgun at some manhacks back in City 17 and clubbed a houndeye with a pipe with as much bravery as any other rebel soldier but he’d rarely seen the man get handsy with people. The idea that he was locked out from the lab made Barney feel confused more than anything. The sight of the locked door was enough for him to scratch his head and hum something unintelligible before turning on his heels and walking to the other side of the base. If he couldn’t help Kleiner then he’d go on patrol.

Barney stopped by the armory to pick up a pulse rifle and then walked out the main gate of White Forest. He only got about fifty yards from the gate when someone ran up to him and put their arms up to his chest to stop him. She was small and had a curly red ponytail hanging out from beneath the beanie on her head, some freckles dotted her cheeks. She also had bright blue eyes and a nose that looked like it had been broken at one point in time but wasn't set properly. Barney wouldn’t deny she was cute but despite that, he didn’t think he would like what she had to say. “Woah there, Calhoun. I was given strict instruction to send you back if I saw you outside the gates.”

Yep. He didn't like it.

“By whose orders?” Barney said, annoyance evident in his voice.

“One of the medics. Steven-“

“Sven?”

“That’s it. He told us to send you back since you are too stubborn for your own good,” she replied but froze when she realized what she said. “Sorry! Don’t shoot the messenger. Just repeating his words, sir.”

Dammit, Sven. Barney couldn’t fault the woman but he was still angry and it showed. “And what if I refuse? I want to go on patrol so that’s what I’ll do.”

She sighed and shook her head. “He thought you might say that so we have backup arranged.”

The woman suddenly put two fingers to her mouth and whistled. A flock of birds flew from nearby a nearby tree and a soft pounding sound could be heard nearby. Barney’s eyes widened at the sound while looking at the woman. “You didn’t…?”

She only shrugged and looked towards the source of the thumping. “Sorry, sir. But orders are orders.”

Barney looked to the forest before turning tail and running the other direction. He could climb a tree or hide behind some rocks before he’d be caught. The thumping kept getting louder and Barney was already breathing heavy. Shit. He wasn’t going to make it. All the trees nearby had branches that were too high up or all the rocks had been moved to block service roads.

As a final moment of desperation, Barney dove into a nearby ditch that may have been a creek at one point. He kept his head down while the thumping continued to get louder and closer by the second. Suddenly there was a crash of something breaking through the bushes followed by deep mechanical vocalizations. Barney didn’t move, he didn’t dare breathe. That all amounted to nothing as he felt a large metal hand pick him up like it was nothing.

“Aw come on, Dog! Really? Put me down!”

The robot gave a series of chirps that was close to a laugh as he held Barney by the back of his coat. In an instant, the robot had a better hold on Barney as they took off back to base. Barney was forced to hold tight to Dog as it was a bit terrifying to be jostled around by Dog’s uneven strides. Barney was ready to get off _Calhoun’s Wild Ride_. It wasn’t until Dog set him down on the ground once more that Barney realized they were back inside the fences of White Forest, but they weren’t at the main gate.

They were situated near a cliff with a scenic mountain view in the distance that would have made Barney smile once upon a time. Oh who was he kidding. It still made him smile to see beauty like that in the world. Other than the view, that wasn’t the only thing he saw in front of him. The mound of dirt and wooden cross made from some old crates with three little letters carved into it made Barney pause.

Dog sat down in front of the grave before bowing his head and giving a long sad vocalization. Barney had watched the funeral and made a hasty retreat once the last of the dirt had been piled on top of Eli’s coffin. This was the first time in over a week he’d even been by the grave. He had thrown himself into his work the moment the funeral was over and had not stopped since. Barney wanted to take off running again but when Dog turned his head to look at him, Barney found himself sitting down in front of the grave as well.

Barney keeps his eyes fixed on the scenery behind the grave, he can’t bring himself to look down or he will have to face the fact that Eli was truly gone and nothing could change that. He knew the man was dead but he didn’t want to believe it. Eli had been like a father to him over the last twenty years. Hell, the man had been like a father to half the rebellion with his advice and leadership skills. Barney didn’t think the last time he would see the man in person would be a video call before the failed teleportation event in Kleiner’s lab, but that was the thing about people. You never knew when the last time you'd see them would be.

Dog let out another vocalization as his face plates shifted to look to the sky. He was facing north. Of course…

“You're worried about them, huh big guy?” Barney mumbled, one hand going up to pat Dog’s long arm.

The robot only vocalized another long sad sound.

“Yeah. I miss them too, but don’t worry. You know those two can handle themselves out there.” Barney stood to his feet, but not without difficulty as he was feeling the strain on his body even more so than earlier. Maybe he did need to rest up. “We can keep things safe here for when they get back, alright?”

Dog turned to look down at Barney and gave another vocalization that Barney took as an agreement. Sometimes the robot was difficult to read but Alyx had done a great job of modifying his personality through the years. There were times he'd be a little troublemaker but he meant well. Even if he’d only truly listened to Alyx or someone he liked, it wasn’t so bad because he’d protect anyone just as he would protect her.

He cast another look down at the grave and sighed. He thought of what he had been doing to himself the last week and had paid dearly for it the previous night. He could practically hear the scolding of Eli as thought of what the man would say. Without thinking, Barney took the other two strips of headcrab jerky and began to chew them up. It still tasted like crap, but he couldn’t shut down yet. He’d keep going, not just for the rebellion’s sake but for Eli’s and his own as well.

He cast one last look towards the mountains and frowned. His prayed they were safe. With that, he slowly started making his way back to the interior of the base with Dog following right behind him. He had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Barney, when are you going to learn? Stop being a stubborn ass and do what the doctor says. 
> 
> As always, if you like the chapter, please review. They are my biggest motivator for writing.
> 
> If you want to follow me on tumblr or want to talk about the fic, you can find me at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	9. Chapter 9

Chell couldn’t believe it. An actual portal gun was right there in her companions hands! She couldn’t blink. She couldn’t look away. All she could do was stare at the device that had caused her so much trouble but had also saved her life time and time again. Her fingers were twitching at the prospect of having the familiar weight once more in her hands.

The vortigaunt moved over to her and she slowly took the device, the weight settling into her hands just as easily as breathing. It was too familiar. She was torn between destroying it right then or holding it close and keeping it safe. It wasn’t until she noticed the scratch to the right of the exhaust port on the top casing that she realized it was _her_ portal gun. The gun had received that scuff after she fell down into Old Aperture. Upon closer inspection there were several flecks of orange and blue from the gels. Her eyes were utterly transfixed on the device as she ran a hand over every aspect. She had thought it had been lost into the vacuum of space but here it was, in her hands and away from Aperture.

If her life was going to involve taking on alien creatures and soldiers everyday then she would be happy to have it. Although the questioned remained; why would GLaDOS give her the portal gun the first place? And why would she hide it inside the Companion Cube? The reasoning behind anything she did always had some sort of hidden agenda. Yeah, GLaDOS would be pretty straight forward with her threats and insults disguised as thinly veiled compliments but some of her actions were confusing. One moment she was saying they were best friends and the next she deleted the closest thing to morality she had. One moment she made Chell believe she had been betrayed again but instead she received a turret opera. Then she had a companion cube returned to her but it contained her portal gun within? What did GLaDOS have to gain from any of it? Had she rigged it to explode the moment Chell used it or would it function just as it normally did? For the time being, Chell held it close before looking back to her companions with a slightly forced smile.

They returned the gesture. The wrinkled vortigaunt gave her a bow but sniffed the air a moment later as if they smelled something strange. The second vortigaunt began to reattach the circular discs to the side of the cube but they too sniffed the air as if sensing something. They both moved closer to her cube, the two strange appendages on the sides of their heads flared. Chell assumed them to be nostrils of some sort with how the valves contracted and flared.

“Is something wrong?” Chell finally managed to say.

“We apologize but we are afraid your cubical companion is no longer functional,” Orange Eye replied.

That put Chell on edge. So they did hurt her cube! She brought the portal gun up, tempted to try it on a living thing to see what firing a portal at them would do. She wanted to get them back for hurting her cube. “What do you mean by that?”

They continued putting the pieces back to the cube, unfazed by Chell brandishing the device at them. “Yes. We apologize for this. It seems some internal mechanism has ceased to operate.”

Chell narrowed her eyes at them. “What sort of function?”

Wrinkles took this as a time to speak up. “We have smelled the device. The companion gave off an aroma to affect the human mind in similar fashion to the pheropods of an antlion guardian to other antlions.”

Pheropods? Chell didn’t know what that was but she did recognize the ‘phero’ part. It sounded a bit like pheromone. Was it some sort of pheromone? The cube produced pheromones? The cube. Produced. Pheromones! Chell suddenly felt a wave of anger flow through her as the mere idea that she was being drugged by the cube since she first brought it with her. Thinking back, she realized how clingy she had been to it over the last two days and how it only got worse after she had fallen asleep next to it that first night. She'd been stuck in a tiny room with it the entire night and had only been exposed to it even more since then. It shouldn’t have surprise Chell that Aperture would do such a thing. It was probably seen as a testing element to see how someone would react in a test chamber. Force an emotional bond, no matter how flimsy, between a test subject and their cube just to make it more difficult for someone to incinerate at the end of the test.

The damn pheromones could make anyone grow increasingly dependent on the cube. Chell found herself thinking back to those dens with the paintings and mad writings. There was one she found in Chamber Seventeen that had a poem about the cubes.  
  


_Not in cruelty, not in wrath…_  
_The Reaper came today_  
_An Angel visited this gray path_  
_and took the Cube away_  
  


Those writings...

Whoever wrote them must have been with their cube for so long. Chell shuddered to think what kind of condition they must have been in and how dependent on the cube they had become. The room was only a hint of what they might have been like and it wasn’t pretty.

Soon she was disturbed from her thoughts as the vortigaunts alerted her that the antlion was ready to eat. Chell looked to her cube and then had an idea. Going over to it, she began to pull on the metal discs the vortigaunts had only recently reattached. She was angry at the cube and aperture once more and she wanted the cube gone! It felt wrong destroying it after she had been with it for so long and all it did for her, but she blamed those thoughts on the pheromones. What had it ever done for her?

It was big, heavy, and all it was good for was making a ladder or to throw at an antlion. Chell did her best to ignore the guilt in her stomach at what she was doing. It was difficult but she managed to dislodge one of the discs and that must have triggered a chain reaction as each one fell off as well. She picked them up and tested their weight in her hands and was satisfied. Approaching the fire, she gave both vortigaunts a disc and smiled, “Since I won’t be needing it anymore, I thought these could make plates.”

It’s a simple thing but Chell didn’t like the idea getting her hands dirty from food and having a plate would keep her hands free. The others, since being made of metal, could feasibly act as a makeshift grill or pan for cooking.

As they ate, Chell thought the antlion tasted better than headcrab. The texture was like biting into shrimp but the taste was more like a vegetable. If she had to describe the taste, it would be somewhere between a zucchini and a bell pepper. Such a strange comparison for her to make yet it seemed fitting.

“It is getting late. We should retire for the night and continue our journey when the morning comes, Traveler,” Wrinkles said once they finished their meal. He then moved to sit down with his back to the rock face. “This one shall keep watch for the night.”

Chell relaxed as she used what was initially a sling for her cube into a makeshift mat for sleeping. What she hadn’t realized before was that the combine had removed the extra clothes she had packed and her companions must not have grabbed them when transferring her to the cave. It wasn’t a huge loss but it would have been nice to have extra clothes incase her new ones got ruined. Oh well. Chell laid on her back and listened to the fire crack, crickets chirp, and watched the stars overhead. That was a sight she didn’t think she would ever get tired of seeing. As she watched, a single shooting star passed overhead. It brought a smile to her lips. With contentment flowing through her, it wasn’t long until she was asleep.

 

The next morning they were on the move. Chell placed the metal plates on the sheet then folded it in one direction until it was a folded in a way she could . She then draped that across her body and tied the sheet together at her shoulder to once more act as a sling. Although this time it hugged her body more like a lumpy sash and she could move freely in a way the cube wouldn’t have allowed.

The cube…

A night in the open air without the pheromones or whatever drug it had been pumping out had cleared her head. With the majority of the drug out of her system, she realized just how strange her attachment to the cube had been. It had started singing for her and she had nearly cried about it, but now? Now all she saw a metal box with sad holes spotting each of its six sides. Yet another thing the vortigaunts had saved her from. She owed them a lot and repaying them seemed to become a bigger chore with each passing day.

Having the plate sash was better for movement if she was going to be lugging around the portal gun. If she needed to use it, she didn’t want to have to worry about carrying the cube around anymore as it could have proven to be a burden when evading pursuers like the combine or any of the other creatures that may be around.

After an hour of walking, the silhouette of a city could be seen in the distance. A city would either mean people, creatures, or soldiers. For Chell, of the three, normal humans would be the preferred choice, but with how her luck usually went there would be nothing at all in the town. She hoped to find a source of fresh water as she had finished off the canteen that morning when she woke up.

As the group neared the city, Chell could already tell they wouldn’t like what they would find. The tops of buildings looked jagged from explosions, but it was the only place nearby they may be able to find necessary supplies to keep going.

From what she could see so far, some buildings were nothing but rubble and others had large chunks missing from them. The closer they got, the more detail could be seen. Just like the road, there were cars littering the streets, some looking as if they were fleeing but had crashed into other cars or telephone poles. The Aperture town was pristine compared to the town the group approached.

The first building they passed had bullets holes littering the outside and all the windows were smashed open. Besides the bullet holes and collapsed buildings, there were more of the Combine vehicles broken down and scattered. Not only that, but Chell had to stop and inspect some strange contraption that looked like a cross between an airplane and a fish. It had a large circular rear with a single propeller but the front was segmented and narrow with two fin like arms. The area that would contain a mouth was replaced by a long metal barrel. Some sort of gun? Chell brushed a hand over it as they passed by. Whatever had happened in the town, it had been a warzone…

They soon came to a large crater in the center of the road and as they walked around it, Chell saw it contained a long black cylinder with a tripod opening. A flash of a vision, courtesy of the vortessence, swam in her head as she realized what it meant. Headcrab shell… A cursory glance proved that there were more around and some sticking halfway in and out of buildings.

“We must be vigilant,” Orange Eye said, voicing Chell’s thoughts. She nodded and moved a little closer to her companions.

It’s almost as if they knew because no sooner had Chell moved closer to the vortigaunts did the first zombie come lumbering out from behind an overturned car. Wrinkles took it out with ease.

Despite only being on the surface for a few days, Chell had learned where there was one obstacle, there was always another just around the corner. That’s why she wasn’t surprised to see another zombie make a growling sound and drag its way out from beneath a pile of rubble while another clawed its way out a broken window. They too were taken out with ease.

Suddenly Chell heard a loud banging noise coming from the closest building. She approached it slowly and took notice of the entire front. There were no windows on the bottom floor, a chain was fastened to the outside, keeping the doors locked and the roof was completely missing. What windows were available were smashed or boarded up and Chell could see several headcrab shells lodged through the sides of the building. The pounding on the door was growing louder as the vortigaunts took notice of Chell’s investigating.

“We should move quickly,” Orange Eye said.

But the group didn’t get to take a single step before the doors were completely destroyed by a mighty swipe of long clawed fingers. The noise they had been making or their smell must have alerted the dinner bell because zombie after zombie started pouring out of the building. The vortigaunts were able to take out a few but they just kept coming. What had started as a trickle soon became a raging torrent of zombies.

Fighting them all off would take too long and with the time it took to charge each attack, the vortigaunts and Chell would eventually get overtaken. Chell only had her portal gun but she couldn’t see an appropriate escape route or source that was smooth enough to place a portal. So instead of fighting, the group turned and began to run down the street, jumping and dodging the odd swipe from a zombie that had been waiting around a corner. As they neared another building, it too had a chain on the outside, locking everything inside but the growls and snarls from the street urged the occupants to crash out as well. What could only be classified as a horde began to pour out of the second building and joined the pursuit. Despite gaining ground, more continued to join which only spurred the others to join..

“We must find high ground!” One of the vortigaunts called out. Chell didn’t look to see who said it as she ducked a wild swipe from a zombie that jumped out from the broken window of a car.

Scanning the area, there was a multistory building nearby and as the group turned the corner, they saw that the door was thankfully off its hinges. As they neared the door, something came tearing and screaming out. It was thin and completely devoid of skin. Exposed muscle and tendons that looked to be barely hanging on to the bones beneath pulled tight as it turned towards the group. On top of its head was another headcrab but this one had longer legs and looked to be thinner than the ones Chell had seen so far. With a mighty roar that sent chills down Chell’s spine, it charged. She had not expected it to be that fast as it barreled into her at an alarming speed that sent her rolling across the concrete.

It snarled and clawed at her body, the sound of fabric tearing and pain laced through Chell. With a mighty heave, she managed to get her legs underneath it and pushed. It was surprisingly light as it went flying and hit the wall of the building. Apparently it was only dazed as it shook itself and readied to jump again but was met with a bolt of energy from the vortigaunts. Chell nodded her thanks to the vortigaunts as she got to her feet and ran inside the building. While they ran, Chell felt relief that her sling took the brunt of the attack and the metal plates prevented the zombie from getting to her skin. She'd probably have bruises. Despite its frame, that zombie had been surprisingly strong.

The building they ran into might have been a hotel or another apartment complex as there was a staircase right in the lobby across from a desk. Behind the desk was another zombie but the group was able to avoid it with ease.

The group ran up the stairs to the second floor. Chell paused long enough to examine a map of the building on the wall and saw the quickest way up. She took the lead and led them down a hallway to a service door. It was locked but a quick blast from the vortigaunts removed that problem. On the other side of the door was another set of stairs and all three started moving up as fast as they could. It wasn’t a terribly tall building but once they reached the top floor, Chell started feeling short of breath.

Bursting out of the door at the top, the group found themselves on the roof. Chell slammed the door back and prayed they put enough distance between them and the zombies that they wouldn't come up to them.

The roof was what you would expect from a war-torn city apartment rooftop. Rusted pipes, roof vents, and a crashed helicopter that was half on and half off the edge of the building. The helicopter was sleek and the shape was reminiscent of the Combine vehicles. Going to the edge, Chell found they were six stories in the air and the zombies were pouring into the building. It had to be at least a hundred or more on the street (not counting the ones that already entered the building behind them) and they were all heading their way.

Other than a few rusty pipes and debris from the helicopter, Chell couldn’t find anything that she could feasibly use as a weapon. At least the door could act as a choke point for the zombies so they could be picked off easily if they made it too the roof.

“We do not have much energy left for all of them,” Orange Eye said as Chell moved back to their sides.

His words surprised her. As she looked at him, she noticed both the vortigaunts seemed to sag and the nodes on their faces looked to be flaring more than usual. Were they tired? Oh this was not good…

She had to do something or else they would all die. All she had was a portal gun! Wait... She had a portal gun! Chell looked down at the roof and a smile spread across her face. It was smooth concrete.

Her smile disappeared though at the low grumble of a combine radio. Oh great, they were here too? The sound had come from the helicopter but upon looking, all she saw was what looked like a combine soldier but its helmet was destroyed, its hands were contorted into claws, and a headcrab was planted firmly on its head.

As if they couldn't get any creepier, they just had to add body armor. It lumbered towards them, but the vortigaunts had focused their attention on the door as a loud pounding noise echoed against it.

The combine zombie, ( _Combie? Zombine? No. That's just dumb_ , Chell thought) started moving towards them, but it did something surprising to Chell. It pulled cylinder from its waist, pulled something off and started _running_ towards them. The cylinder was blinking and Chell didn’t like whatever it was. Without thinking, she fired a portal in front of her and fired the next at the side of the mostly intact building next door. Chell felt relief to see that the portal stuck and the two linked into perfect harmony.

Chell was glad they weren’t the smartest things as it fell through the portal. Chell watched as it fell through the air but it never reached the ground as whatever Combine Zombie had pulled from its waist exploded and sent pieces of armor everywhere. _Oh, it was a grenade_ , Chell thought to herself.

The vortigaunts looked at her when the explosion went off but then noticed the glowing blue circle at her feet. Without another word, Chell changed the blue portal’s location to rest right in front of the open service door. All three of them watched in anticipation as the door flew off its hinges and the first zombie stumbled out the door. Chell put a hand on Orange Eye's shoulder and shook her head at him. He had been charging another attack but he stopped to watch what would happen as the zombie walked into the waiting portal. Chell’s smile returned as she looked to the linked portal and saw the zombie fall through the air and land in a crumpled heap on the ground.

A wave of relief flooded through Chell as more of them started falling through her portals. Even the vortigaunts seemed relieved as their shoulders relaxed and they moved further away from the door so they could watch the second portal. Once the pile of bodies started to get high, Chell moved the orange portal over a few feet so the zombies would fall onto an empty area of concrete.

It continued this way for nearly an hour, Chell occasionally moving a portal or the vortigaunts needing to blast electricity at one of the fast zombies since they could jump over the one at the doorway. Chell didn’t like those at all. At one point, a zombie wandered though whose entire upper body was a swollen mass of black and red and there was at least four headcrabs on it. One on each shoulder, one on the zombies back, and then the one on its head. Before it fell through the portal, it had ripped one of the shoulder headcrabs off and thrown it their way while the headcrab hissed and clicked at them. One of the vortigaunts managed to kill it before it could even reach them. “You must be weary of the poison headcrabs. They are inedible to humans for they contain a powerful toxin,” Wrinkles explained once it was dead.

Chell was about to sit down, something caught her eyes about the zombies. As one of them wandered forward, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the size. It was so small. If she stood next to it, it would have only come up to her stomach if she didn't wear her boots. The long claws scuffed the ground on the thin arms. The clothes it was wearing were a tiny pink shirt and a small yellow flower could just be visible beneath the blood stains.

Chell couldn't look away until it too fell into the portal. Her face felt wet. Touching it revealed twin trails of water on her cheeks. She was crying? How did that happen. She wiped her face with her sleeve before the vortigaunts noticed.

"A poignant sight, was it not? To see something so young being ripped from the world?" Wrinkles said, its large red eye fixed on Chell.

She only looked back, not saying anything. The only thing she could do was nod her head and turn back to the horde. With each zombie, Chell did her best to see what they had been instead of what they became. They had all been humans at one point but the parasites on their head turned them all to monsters.

With each small zombie, Chell felt angrier at the Combine for what they did to the town. They had killed children! Where had their mercy been? They were no better than the scientists in Aperture.  
  


_'Chell! Don't wander off. It's very important that you stay with me.'_  
_'Why?'_  
_‘Just do as I say, alright?'_  
_'Alright. But I don't understand why you are having me do this test.'  
_ _'I told you. It's for science.'_

 

What the _hell_ was that? Chell squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Had that been a memory? Chell tried to bring an image to her mind of the scene but nothing could make sense from the words. Who had been the other voice in her mind? It sounded familiar but she couldn't figure out who it might be. Most likely some nameless neck-bearded scientist...

When no more zombies came through the door, the group

moved to the edge of the roof once more to see the damage. A few headcrabs could be seen wandering around that had detached from their host but that was all that could be seen. They had done it.

Chell couldn’t help but frown at one thing though. There had been chains on the doors that most of the zombies had come from. It was almost as if the people had been locked inside before... No...

Looking down the street from where they had come from, Chell took note of how there wasn't any kind of fire-escape or first floor windows. The roof had been destroyed by the headcrab shells and some of the windows had been boarded up. She knew the truth but didn’t want to acknowledge it. She didn’t want to think how people would have been gathered inside but then someone came along and put chains on the door. She didn’t want to acknowledge how it had shelled to hell and the people trapped inside became subjected to the horror of what their fate would be. Had she been in there, she might have chosen a quick death of jumping from a window than to be subjected to becoming like the poor souls below.

Heading back down, they wandered the hallways. They checked occasional door to see if it was unlocked or take out a zombie that had been lagging behind. It would taken care of with either a bolt from the vortigaunts or from the metal pole that Chell had salvaged from the helicopter. After finally finding an unlocked room that was happily zombie and headcrab free, the trio walked in and began to look around. Or Chell looked around at least. Her companions sat on the bare floor of what was the living room and closed their eyes. She couldn’t tell if they were sleeping or if it was some type of meditation as she felt they were aware of what she was doing despite not seeing her.

The bedroom revealed a single dirty mattress, a bare closet, and a crumpled up bedsheet. Chell took that and swapped out the one she had as it was now torn to pieces from the fast zombie on the street.

The bathroom didn't have anything useful but the kitchen is where Chell hit the jackpot. Most of the cabinets were bare but stuffed into the back and hidden behind an empty popcorn box were four unopened cans. Two cans of beans, one potted meat, and the last was mixed fruit. She scoured the drawers and came away with her prize. A manual can opener!

Returning to the main room, she set the cans on the ground in front of her companions. She’d eat hers once they were done recharging. She thought it might be polite to share another meal together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters within one week? Whaaaaaa?!
> 
> I got really excited about this chapter because its one I've been wanting to get out for a while and has something in it that inspired me to write this fic!
> 
> And as always if you liked it, please review. The mean a lot (and I crave validation).


	10. Chapter 10

“Levels remain as they were,” Uriah said, handing a clipboard back to Magnusson.

Magnusson gave a nod in thanks before shifting through the pages and going over the data. He was happy to know that his rocket was still in place and showing no signs of shutting down or his work reversed. Not that it could be reversed without another dark energy reactor intervention, but the only one on Earth was destroyed in a fiery explosion. Said reactor was only destroyed in an attempt to reopen contact with the Combine home world and restart another invasion. Had it not been for his rocket (and a little help from Freeman and Miss Vance) they would not have been able to stop the second invasion from coming.

The launch itself had been a harrowing ordeal all on its own. What with the intrusion of Combine forces and the Striders making a mess of his facility and outposts. In the end, White Forest prevailed and the launch went perfectly. Although the weight variance in the launch still confused him to no end. It was ten pounds that was unaccounted for and although not too heavy for the launch, it was much more than just a spare hammer or wrench left inside. It didn’t really matter anymore but Magnusson didn’t like not knowing and having unexplained variances in his work. He preferred structure and order. It's how White Forest managed to function so smoothly for the last few years without incident, but all that went to hell when the uprising in City 17 began. So many refugees from Black Mesa East and then the city itself had thrown their food reserves into a frenzy so rations were cut back. That also meant more people would be sent out to scavenge or hunt so there was a bigger risk of being captured by Combine patrols. Needless to say, his stress levels had been through the roof over the last few weeks.

He was also not used to being around Kleiner as much. He'd spent more time in Kleiner's company over the last week than he had in the last ten years. It was probably Black Mesa the last time he'd spent so much time with the man. At least that damn parasite had disappeared and was no longer in his hair. In fact, he hadn’t seen it since the rocket launch.

Wait…

Magnusson looked over to Kleiner and then remembered the weight variance. He had to suppress a chuckle at the idea. There’s one mystery that's solved. It’s one answer he’d keep to himself because he did _not_ want to deal with a mopey Kleiner who'd never seeing his precious headcrab again. The man was smart so he’d figure it out himself _eventually_ and start asking questions, but Magnusson would cross that bridge when he got to it.

“Thank you, Uriah. I think we can get back to work on our other project now,” Magnusson said to his vortigaunt friend.

Uriah simply gave a small bow and walked out of the lab. Turning on his feet, Magnusson moved to look over Kleiner’s shoulder to see what the man was working. His printer continued to spit out a new page every ten seconds and a geographical view could be seen on the computer screen. The area was dominated by a large patch of yellow with dark gray squares off to the left side of the screen and thick forest to the top. Looking to the paper, Magnusson sighed as he realized what the man was looking at.

“Honestly, Kleiner, what do you hope to accomplish by looking at that place?”

Kleiner jumped in surprise and dropped his clipboard in the process. He smoothed out his lab coat before bending over to pick up the clipboard but not without giving Magnusson a sour look. Arne ignored it.

“I’ve been going over the data because it is an anomaly. Just look at the graph I’ve compiled!” Kleiner took his clipboard and shoved it into Magnusson’s face. Arne was forced to grab it and blink away the sudden blurriness the object has forced upon him.

Upon closer inspection of the clipboard, a neatly drawn graph had been created. The X axis of the graph indicated time consisting over the last few weeks while the Y axis indicated the strength of the radiological emissions coming from the former Aperture Science facility. A red line had been drawn from where there had been no activity, one large burst of energy, then a rise and fall of energy like a wave. Then there was a single huge burst of energy like a tidal wave that was followed by a single line of energy leveling itself out. Magnusson had to agree it was strange but not that he’d say it out loud.

“And that’s not all! Just look at this!” Kleiner looked back to his computer screen and began to zoom in on the section of gray squares which revealed them to be city blocks. The town was mostly intact, at least it looked to be from the air. “This was taken from a month ago before any sign of activity was discovered. Now look that this…”

Kleiner pushed a key on his keyboard and the image changed. Half the buildings were in shambles and thick smoke and flames were pouring up from various dots on the screen. He then zoomed in on a large central domed building where a large gap section of the ceiling was missing. Although the image was dark from smoke and the night-time image capture, Magnusson could make out lights coming from inside the dome. As Kleiner moved in even further, a strange shape took form. It was terribly pixelated from the zoom but it was in the vague shape of a person laying on their back. There was a splash of orange and white for clothing but nothing else could be seen.

“When was this one taken, Kleiner?” Magnusson found himself asking.

Kleiner perked up and a proud smile appeared on his features, “Just a week ago.”

If that was a person, seeing the state of the town above Aperture, Magnusson doubted they’d be alive. If the state of the town was anything to go by then whatever was going on below the surface would be even worse.

Despite that, Kleiner was an optimist and always believed the best would happen. That is not a practical mindset when it came to being a scientist. Magnusson believed a scientist should be practical and realistic. Take everything with a grain of salt until you had undeniable proof that a theory could be considered proven fact. In Magnusson’s opinion, a pixelated image of someone lying on their back in a burning facility was hardly enough to warrant a confirmed theory, but Kleiner already had _that_ smile on his face. Magnusson hated that smile. To anyone that didn’t know the man would think he was only happy but Magnusson knew better. After all the time they spent competing for grant money, he knew when Kleiner was being smug.

With such powerful evidence suggesting someone could be inside, no doubt Kleiner would continue to pursue it. That gave Magnusson an idea.

“Are these the reading surrounding the facility?” Magnusson pointed to the printer that just finished spitting out another page.

“Why yes! They are,” Kleiner nodded and flicked the image on the screen to a wide area shot of the burning town.

Magnusson picked up a few pages and furrowed his brow as if closely examining the date. He thumbed through before stopping on a page that was labeled from three days ago. There was a small jump in readings then another one that came in just that morning. Strange indeed.

Magnusson handed the papers Kleiner while pointing out the spikes. “There are small jumps in the readings here and here. Keep your eyes on it and see if a pattern emerges.”

Without another word, Magnusson moved back across the lab to his own workstation. Despite losing Kleiner to a wild goose chase, it would at least keep the man occupied and out of Magnusson’s way until he finished his latest project.

After picking up his tools, Magnusson cast a look over to Kleiner who had thrown himself into discovering the truth behind the signals. That was one thing to be respected about Kleiner. Once he started working on a task, he diverted all his efforts into it until he had the answers. Kleiner’s tenacity was one of the few things Magnusson did enjoy about the man. He never gave up on scientific pursuits or stopped his curiosities. Stubbornness was a good quality to have when it came to most things in life. Usually it would be the most stubborn of people that yielded the best results in Magnusson’s personal history.

Magnusson walked the halls with purpose in his step and that made anyone in his path move if they saw him. Those that didn’t see him were asked to get out of his way in the most polite way he could manage with how much of a hurry he was in. The only thing was that it equated to him saying, ‘Out of my way, I’m in a hurry!’

Arne eventually Arrived to the basement level with his tools where he found Uriah speaking with a couple other rebels. They were nodding to something he was saying before they walked away. He didn’t bother saying anything to the rebels as they got back to work the moment they walked away from Uriah.

“What’s the status, Uriah?” Arne asked while setting his toolkit down.

The basement was a maze of pipes and breaker boxes. Large generators dominated one end and they provided energy to most of the complex. Their only problem was that they're finicky and prone to breaking down at times, so the rebels of White Forest had to think of creative ways to keep them going. A couple years back they'd fashioned solar panels together to keep the facility working but they weren’t as efficient as hoped for once winter months hit. Another tactic had been utilizing a waterwheel and a nearby waterfall but it didn’t work out very well either once the river turned into a creek. So what was left of the river was diverted and channeled to run by the base where a network of pipes were fixed at certain areas so that it could be purified for drinking or funneled into pipes for bathing.

“The generators are in prime condition. This one has provided a jolt to generator three to provide it with the energy levels you find satisfactory,” Uriah explained while moving over to lay a hand on the side of the large generator.

It was massive. Easily fifteen feet high and just as wide. If it wasn’t for the coils and wires attached to the center mass, the rounded back could be mistaken for a jet turbine. Uriah lifted up on a nearby panel to expose some buttons and a key slot that could manually shut down and start the generators. “This one has also taken the liberty of preparing the area for the Magnusson’s arrival.”

Magnusson nodded to his friend and approached the generator. He examined a nearby dial and made mental notes of the energy output they were receiving. Generator three had always been the trickiest and most prone to error but it seemed to be holding on for the time being. Although he was afraid of it breaking down again because if it did, he wasn’t sure if it could be repaired.

Reaching down into his tool kit, Magnusson took out a device of his own making. It was some sort of gaming device at one point but now it would provide him with information on the inner workings of each generator. It was rectangular in shape and had a large central screen. A large data pack was inserted where a game would reside and held in place with electrical tape and wires. Coming out from the bottom was a long thick cord with a metal spike attached to the end that Magnusson would insert into the key slot of the generator and it could send him all the internal workings of the machine. He thought it was a clever little device despite the snickers he would receive about the pink color.

Generator three thankfully showed no signs of strain or breaking down. Generator two would need a few wires patched up but Uriah could handle that or one of the maintenance workers. Generator one was in perfect condition, or as perfect as it could be considering its age.

Magnusson carefully put his device back into his bag before straightening out his lab coat and nodding to Uriah. “I think I’m finished here. We can report the data to maintenance. In the meantime I would- AH!”

Magnusson was cut off by a hot burst coming from an overhead pipe. Clutching the back of his head and muttering a string of silent curses, he turned on his heals to see what attacked him. Steam. It was a burst of steam! “Who is responsible for this obstructive burn hazard?” He called out through the basement.

He noticed a few workers looking sheepish as they appeared from behind a mess of pipes, one of them clutching a large pipe wrench. “Sorry Doctor Magnusson. We didn’t see you there.”

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked but it came out more as a scold than a question. The one holding the wrench visibly winced.

“Working on the pipes. Some are a little old. We’ll fix that one next but we managed to get our main task completed, sir,” the rebel not holding the wrench said.

“And what is it?”

Both rebels smiled, looking practically smug. Wrench wiggled the tool in his hand, “White Forest has hot water once again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we check in with some of the White Forest people and see what the residence science team has to say. Oh Dr. Magnusson, you really need to be nicer to people.
> 
> I know not much happened in this chapter but don't worry too much. We'll be checking back in with Chell in the next chapter.
> 
> As always, please review or if you want to talk about the fic, you can find my tumblr at... suitsandsemtext.tumblr.com


	11. Chapter 11

Chell ran the water over her bare arms in an attempt to get clean. It was a poor excuse for a bath, but at least it made her feel better despite the chill of the creek. They had found it not long after leaving the destroyed city behind. The vortigaunts had assured Chell that it was 'free of contaminants' and safe to drink and that’s precisely what she did. Without another thought, she had dropped down to the ground and dunked her face directly into the water, gulping down large mouthfuls.

She had made the mistake of drinking too fast and ended up with the hiccups, but it was a small price to pay to not die of dehydration. Once she had her fill of water, Chell had taken the canteen from that soldier and filled it until she couldn't hear any sloshing sound within. With no way of attaching it to her hip, she shifted the sheet sling to accommodate the canteen without letting it fall out.

Once the water situation had been handled, Chell took on another pressing matter. Hygiene. The closest thing she had to a shower in a long time was when she had been doused with the water pipes down in old aperture in a frenzied attempt to get the repulsion gel off her skin. She had been forced to walk under one of the repulsion gel pipes to even enter a test chamber. Although it helped remove most of the gel from her skin, the water smelled strange and made her feel itchy afterward. Itchy pipe water aside, since she arrived on the surface, Chell had amassed a collection of grime on her skin. She had dirt sweat caked onto her face and body, and patches of dried blood clung to her as well thanks to the new and several odd inhabitants she’d encountered. Half the blood wasn't even hers to begin with. Yellow and green patches of the alien blood were clear against her tanned skin.

The creek wasn’t deep enough for Chell to sit fully submerged but the water came up to mid-thigh while she knelt in the middle of it on her knees.  She had asked for some privacy from the vortigaunts and they obliged her, but not before saying something along the lines of, ‘We shall not bother the Traveler while she disrobes and cleanses herself.' Although blunt, at least they were polite.

Chell had kept the exercise shorts she wore under her Aperture jumpsuit on beneath her new jeans and her sports bra as well. She left those on as she got down on her knees in the creek. She didn't like the idea of being fully naked out in the woods, what with all the strange things she’d seen so far made her feel too exposed. Once settled, she had begun to scrub at every inch of skin she could reach. She had sacrificed part of the bedsheet to act like a rag but not even halfway done with scrubbing, it had already turned a dingy, dark brown from how much grime was stuck to her skin.

Her portal gun, boots, and clothes were all settled on the bank the sheet sling. All within her sight and in easy reach if needed in a moment’s notice. She’d cast furtive glances to it while scrubbing at the dark patches of grime on her arms and it soon became evident of how many scars she had obtained. Her shoulders were a spider web of pink lines from the electrically charged batons of the Combine, a five inch long laceration along her right bicep, and faint burns along her hands and forearms. Each scar told a story and she cataloged all of them. She could pick out and remember how she received each one. The bicep cut came from smashing her body into one of the monitors Wheatley had set up. The burns came from the explosion trap during the core transfer stalemate. If she had a mirror, she would probably have more on her back from smashing into the metal gate due to the explosion.

How did her life become so messed up? Why had she gone down into Aperture in the first place? Chell wracked her brain and willed herself to remember anything about her life before Aperture, but it still remained like a radio station stuck between channels. All that remained of her past was static and she couldn’t find the right frequency to tune into. The fact that she had memories that weren’t hers floating around in her head didn’t help anything, but those were easy to separate out as they all involved the years the surface experienced while she was underground.

No use dwelling on it for the time being. By the time Chell was finished, the impromptu rag was nearly black, her skin tingled, and she felt cold. Not wasting any time, she slipped back into the jeans but not appreciating how they clung to her still wet legs. Wet denim was definitely not a pleasant experience. She went ahead and put the boots back on before grabbing her shirt. She had just bunched up her shirt and had her arms through when she heard the snap of a twig nearby and rustling of leaves.

The hole that her head would go through was plastered to her chest as she kept the shirt on like a strange backward shawl, but her body was on high alert. That was not the sound of random branch breaking but a clear snap that meant something was nearby. Not out of sight but still with their backs turned, the vortigaunts perked their heads up. So they had heard it too? She quickly pulled the shirt back over her head and grabbed the portal gun. Her jacket was left on the ground for the time being. She needed to be ready for whatever was coming.

_Snap!_

There it was again. Another snap of a twig as if something was getting closer, but it sounded deliberate. The vortigaunts thought safety to be more important than checking to see if Chell was decent as they soon flanked her on each side, the group scanning every direction.

Then there was a startled cry and a splash. The group turned to look towards the opposite bank of the creek and saw a figure struggling to stand up and out of the water. “Holy shit that’s cold!”

The now soaking wet figure was revealed to be a man around Chell’s age or a few years older with short cropped black hair and stubble on his jaw as if he hadn’t shaved in a few days. He stood shivering in the ankle-deep water and looked up sheepishly towards the group as if only just noticing they were there. He was wearing a dark blue shirt beneath a vest version of the white masked combine jackets. An armband was wrapped around his right bicep with a bright orange lambda painted on. “S- sorry for scaring you. I didn’t want to sneak up on you, but… yeah. Sorry. But thank god! I finally found someone else, I've been wandering around for days!”

Chell took notice of how she still stood in a defensive pose and slowly relaxed because this was a person. A real living and talking human being! She was silent as her arms went limp, but her grip on the portal gun remained so it hung down at her side in a relaxed position.

The stranger waded through the water and shook his feet once out of the creek, but it wouldn’t do anything considering his boots were soaked through. Despite the water, they looked in decent condition.

“Oh hey! You got some vorts with you? That’s great!” The man asked as he approached Chell and her companions.

As he approached, Chell could see he had brown eyes and a small scar on his forehead. He’d be about Chell’s height if she weren’t wearing her long fall boots once more. He smiled, but she didn’t smile back. A tense silence passed between them.

Chell didn’t know how to proceed. It had been so long since she had seen a living human and yet there was one right in front of her. Was this real? No. She had gone over it all before and that she was on the surface. So he was real and not a robot. Her eyes went to the vortigaunts who had relaxed somewhat at seeing the man.

“Yeah…” Her first words to another human in a long time. She thought she would have said something more profound upon breaking her silence to another human. As it turned out... Saying profound phrases was a lot harder to think up of on the spot.

“So are you going to the camp?” The man asked, perking up once she spoke. “I was on my way to a rebel camp not far from here.”

More people? There was an entire camp of people nearby? Chell turned to look at the vortigaunts. They seemed confused by the prospect, yet also intrigued.

“We were not aware of such a camp. Are there no vortikind there?” Orange Eye asked.

The man shrugged his shoulders and made a noncommittal noise. “Not sure, I just know its somewhere nearby. They might not have any vorts at the camp so having you two there will make even more of a difference.”

He gave a broad smile and put his hands on his hips. Chell raised an eyebrow at him but couldn’t help a smile from forming. “So… you know where it is?”

“Sure do! My name’s Gabriel by the way. You guys want to join me? It's always better to travel in groups, right?”

He gave Chell a curious look as if looking for her assurance and confirmation. Out of the three times she traveled with someone, one had resulted in a betrayal, the second resulted in her discovering the origins of GLaDOS, and the third made her find out the horrors of the surface. Chell probably wasn’t the best one to answer that question.

"I'm not alone though,” Chell answered, gesturing to the vortigaunts by nodding her head in their direction.

Gabriel laughed at that and nodded, “Yeah. Guess you are right about that. Guess what I’m saying is would it be okay if I joined up with you?”

He was a little forward with his question, but he sounded harmless enough. Maybe a bit too friendly, but harmless.

Chell shrugged, “I guess. But it would be nice to see more people.” She then turned to the vortigaunts, “What do you two think?”

“We shall follow wherever the Traveler leads,” Wrinkles said.

So they wanted to follow her? She didn’t understand why they would support her on this decision because she had been following them the whole time. Or so she thought. It had been her who had suggested the city and what route to take. Chell had just assumed they were going that direction anyway, so they all decided to stay together. Had they actually been wanting to stay with her?

Chell could wonder why later because there was a chance to meet up with people who could have more supplies. They may even have a bed! Oh, how she would love an actual bed instead of a hard panel in a service area of Aperture or dirty carpet.

With her mind made up, Chell looked to Gabriel and nodded her head. “Yeah. I think we can travel together.”

His face lite up at her confirmation. He was an excitable one that’s for sure. He instantly pointed off in a direction and took the lead, “I think it’s this way or at least that’s the direction my group was going.”

Chell waited a moment before following behind Gabriel. He was strange and seemed to mention things only as they came to him. He had a group?

“Your group?” Chell said as she fell in stride beside him with the vorts trailing behind her.

Gabriel nodded his head, his tone turning saddened, “Yeah. Reggie, our leader, he had a map to the camp but… a Combine patrol came out of nowhere. I managed to get away but… I don’t know if anyone else got away.”

“Then shouldn’t we search for your group? We believe there to be safety in numbers, just as you have said,” one of the vortigaunts said.

Gabriel shook his head. “No. We had decided as a group that if anyone became separated, just head South. That’s the direction of the camp so we could meet up there later. So if they are anywhere, they’d be there.”

Chell looked to the vortigaunts and nodded her head at them.

The new member of the group fell into their rhythm very well. He’d say something about the camp and what they are supposed to have or that it wasn’t much further. ‘A couple hours at most’ he would assure. He was talkative but not the most talkative companion Chell had ever had.

It was an hour after they met that he finally asked Chell, “So what’s with the strange looking gun and shoes?”

She figured the question would be asked eventually, but it still caught her off guard. She was usually more careful than that. Maybe traveling with the vortigaunts had made her lower her defenses? She couldn’t do that, or she’d risk opening herself up to being hurt again. She fixed herself and pulled up her walls once more, but she’d allow her voice around these people. It was too late to go mute again.

“I found them. You ever heard of Aperture Science?” Chell answered.

“No,” Gabriel said.

“Yeah. It’s an old facility. I used to… I guess the best word would be ‘lived’ there for some time? Managed to get free and kept the boots and gun,” she explained.

Gabriel looked close to the portal gun, an intrigued grin plastered to his face, “What’s it do? Looks pretty special.”

“You could say that,” Chell mumbled, shifting the portal gun so she could hold it better if needed. She wished she had another handgun. Out in the open without high portal surfaces, she couldn't do much for defense. Whereas a gun that shot actual bullets would be better for defending herself than the portal gun.

“And the boots?”

“They’re special too. They make me jump good,” Chell said, not telling the real purpose behind them. She needed to keep her some secrets for the time being.

“How good?”

Chell shot a smile at him and gave a quick jump. Although the heel springs did help give her extra height in jumping, it wasn’t substantial enough to be amazing.

Gabriel nodded his head at her jump, “Not bad. Certainly higher than average. So this Aperture place? What was it like?”

Chell raised an eyebrow at him, “You ask a lot of questions, you know that…”

“Just making small talk. Isn’t that the polite thing to do?”

Chell looked back to the vortigaunts who gave the closest thing to a smile they could. If she didn't know any better, she'd say they looked smug. She rolled her eyes and smiled back. Yeah, she could see how the scenario was similar.

With a sigh, she shook her head. “I guess so but... Aperture isn’t a place you want to be.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s a deathtrap.”

That gave Gabriel pause and made his footsteps falter. “What do you mean?” Despite the tone, he had an amused smile on his face.

Chell sent him a glare that she hoped would look like a warning to stay away from the place. “I mean that I’m the only person who has come out of that place alive.”

Gabriel went silent after that, his eyes unwavering from the ground and his lips pursed. Chell watched him out of the corner of her eye. If he were curious, he’d ask more questions, but if he were a smart man then he wouldn’t pursue it any further.

It turned out he was not smart a smart man.

“So how did you get out?” He finally asked.

Chell shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was let go. Apparently, it was easier to let me go than to try and kill me according to-“ she cut herself off before she could say what really controlled that place. “Well, according to Aperture. It’s nice to see the sky again.”

“How long were you in there? Sorry, it’s just that… You don’t look very old,” Gabriel said. At least he dared to look embarrassed by his question.

Chell only looked at him before shaking her head, “Far too long."

It was the only answer she had as she wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed.

“What kind of science did they do?” He asked.

Chell paused at that. She didn’t remember mentioning it being a science facility, but he must have come to the conclusion of that from the gun and boots.

Shrugging her shoulders again, Chell indicated to her gun, “Mostly testing now. I suppose you can make an argument for-“

Chell cut herself off again as her gaze went to the ground. She had caught sight of Gabriel’s shoes and frowned.

“Hey… Where did you say you came from?” Chell asked.

Gabriel looked a little annoyed by being brushed off but perked up at her question. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I never said, but my group was actually camped out about an hours walk north of where we met.”

"An hours walk? But I thought- Never mind." Chell narrowed her eyes again. She had him.

"Oh, sure."

She had him, but she wanted to see how deep of a hole he could dig himself.

“How long had you been staying there before you were ambushed?”

“We moved place to place, but we were up there for a couple weeks,” Gabriel said, the same relaxed tone in his voice. It made Chell’s eyes narrow at him.

Shifting around, Chell looked to the vortigaunts and sent them a glance then used her head to motion at Gabriel. Taking a step away from him, she used the portal gun to point down at his shoes. “If you’ve been out in the wild for weeks and apparently wandering for hours, then why do your shoes look new?”

Gabriel’s smile faltered as his gaze traveled down to his shoes. When he looked back up at Chell, there was mild surprise that soon melted into anger. “You know... That was an excellent story.”

In a flash, he reached behind his back and attempted to pull out a gun that Chell had not seen tucked into the waistband of his pants. He didn’t get the chance. Orange eye had barreled into the man and sent him rolling to the ground. That gave Chell the time to leap on top of his back and pinned his wrists to his lower back.

Despite his smaller than average size, Gabriel was able to turn his body over and toss Chell off his back. Chell rolled with her momentum and came up on her feet in a natural position that she would find herself in after a harrowing jump in a test chamber. Before Gabriel could even get into a similar position as Chell, the vortigaunts were upon him. They had gone to his sides and grabbed each of his arms and pulled them back and forced him up on his knees. Despite how thin their arms looked, they easily kept Gabriel down on his knees with his arms spread out wide as if ready to be embraced. If he attempted to get up, he’d run the risk of popping a shoulder out of place with how the vortigaunts had his arms twisted.

“Release me at once, you parasites!” Gabriel cried out and wiggled against the tight grip of the vortigaunts.

Chell ignored him and stalked around to get behind him and the vortigaunts. She found the gun he had stashed in his pants and slipped it into the waistband of her own before tearing open the backpack he had been wearing.

“Get out of there! Stop touching my stuff!” He cried out and thrashed about.

Undeterred, Chell began pulling things out of the bag. There as a blanket and a few ration packs, but down in the bottom was a familiar sight. Grabbing onto it, Chell held it in one hand while keeping her eyes trained on Gabriel.

“I won’t allow myself to be betrayed again,” she snarled at him before throwing the item at Gabriel’s chest. It bounced off him and settled into the dirt with the soulless black lenses of the white gasmask gazing up at the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was one of my favorites to write overall because it has subtleties to Chell and who she was before Aperture. Not only that but finally being able to fight back before being betrayed is something I really wanted for her.
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated. If you want to talk about the fic or just chat in general, you can find my tumblr at... suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	12. Chapter 12

Barney lolled his head back against the concrete wall while blindly throwing the ball across the garage to Dog. The robot was sitting in the same position as Barney across from him about thirty feet away. He easily caught it within the charged field around his hand that acted much like that gravity gun Eli had built, although Dog’s was much weaker. After a moment, Dog sent the ball back towards Barney who caught it in turn.

Barney had been desperate for something to do but was not allowed to do any work, so he went digging into the storage rooms. Hidden in a far corner was the old baseball. The laces were ripping and the skin was peeling back, but it gave him something to do and kept Dog entertained while acting as his babysitter. He didn’t need a babysitter, but Dog wouldn’t let him get twenty feet without following behind like… well, a dog! A ten-foot-tall dog that could rip a Combine transport in half with ease but still a dog nonetheless.

Sven had found out about him leaving the infirmary and ripped him a new one. He’d been called quite a few colorful idioms and half had not even been in English, but Barney knew he the gist of what was being said. In the end, Sven had allowed Barney to stay out of the medical wing, but he was not allowed to work until the medic said otherwise. That left Barney with one of the worst cases of cabin fever he’d ever experienced and it’d only been a day.

As a kid, Barney never liked sitting still for too long. No kid really did but he his had been to the point where’d he act up in class. He’d tried ways to cope, but it wasn’t until years later that he found outlets for all his pent-up energy. Being a security guard at Black Mesa had been one of the best things for him. Sure the hours could be insane, but there was always something for him to do or people to help.

He still had bouts of restlessness and when forced to stay inside, Barney didn’t do well. He’d already done what little work he could and that was performing minor maintenance on the car Gordon had arrived at White Forest in. Minor maintenance being that he tightened a few bolts and checking the engine components to see if everything was in working order. Sadly everything was perfect. So that left Barney and Dog to their own devices several yards away from the car and tossing the baseball to each other. It kept Dog entertained and gave Barney something to do with his hands that didn’t involve manual labor.

“You know, Dog? Twenty years ago, I would have killed for some downtime or a nap. Hell, even ten years ago!” Barney said while tossing the ball once more. “But now that I’m being forced to rest, all I want to do is get back out there.”

That’s what fighting did to people he guessed. Someone would crave getting to rest and stop fighting, but once they have to stop, all they want is to get back up and fight. Even sleeping had become too much of a chore over the years. There would be days at a time where he couldn’t sleep, or when he did, he’d be awakened by nightmares of Black Mesa, battle, or discovering he was being forced through the Combine upgrade process against his will. Those were the worst. In his early days undercover with the CPs, he had been so thankful for the mask because he was scared that he would be discovered. There would have been two options for him had that happened. One was instant death and the other would be that he'd be turned into a Stalker. If he could remember who he'd been, then he’d wish he was dead. That is if he even remembered who he was after the process.

“But now? I don’t know what to do with myself. People have always relied on me, but they’re putting me on the sidelines. I can do so much more around her to make it safer,” Barney explained.

He liked venting to Dog because he didn’t have to worry about being pitied or getting strange looks. He couldn’t talk, but he sure would listen. Dog threw the ball while making a few long-noted sounds.

Barney rubbed the back of his head and sighed. “I wish they would let me do more. I need to do more, Dog. It’s my job to keep everyone safe and I can’t even do that! Had I just gotten here sooner then I would have been able to do something. Some security guard I turned out to be, huh?”

He threw the ball once more.

“Can’t even do one thing right. All my fault really…”

Dog went strangely quiet.

“I mean- Oh holy SHIT!” Barney gasped as something hard hit him right in the chest. Looking down at his lap, there sat the baseball.

Looking up, Barney frowned at Dog, “Dammit, Dog. What was that for?”

Dog made another series of notes as Barney threw the ball back. “Whatever.”

As soon as Dog had the ball, he threw it once more with as much force as before but this time hitting Barney in the stomach, winding him once more.

“What’s the big deal?”

Dog made a few more noises, but this time they actually sounded a little angry or upset. Why would Dog be upset with him? Wait. Could he…?

“You don’t like it when I put myself down?”

Dog made a long single note sound and shook his head as if to say, ‘no you dumbass.’

“Geez… Think you could find a better way of telling me? That really hurt,” Barney said while rubbing at his chest. He knew enough about himself that it wouldn’t bruise, but the sentiment was still there.

“Would you do the same thing to Gordon or Alyx?” He smiled at the robot.

Dog nodded vigorously. That made Barney chuckle as he tossed the ball back.

Gordon and Alyx. Wonder what they are up to, he thought to himself.

Those two were an unstoppable team once they got together. They had blown up both Nova Prospekt and the Citadel, slowed down the destruction process of the Citadel to let other people escape, and brought back a data packet that allowed the Combine super portal to close up for good. No wonder people looked up to them.

Barney was a little guy compared to them and yet he’d already done so much for the resistance. Twenty years of fighting then suddenly Gordon shows up and everything turns for the better. Guess he really was the Opener of the Way as the vortigaunts called him.

“Sometimes I think people like Gordon more than me,” he smiled sadly.

Dog was quiet. He had expected another hit from the baseball, but when he looked up, Dog was frozen in place. Barney was about to call out to him and ask if he was alright but then he noticed that the baseball was frozen in place as well. It was stuck in midair and still on a trajectory with Dog’s waiting hand. Paw? Claw? Didn’t matter as time was frozen in place. What was going on?

“T _ha_ t is to be ex _pected_ when it _com_ es to symb _ols_ of hope,  _Mr_. Cal _houn_ ,” someone said.

The voice came from nowhere yet everywhere at once. It sounded both far away and right in his ear at the same time.

Then a figure started walking forward, but something was wrong with them. They began as a silhouette, but they were approaching from behind Dog which shouldn’t have been possible because he had been sitting against the wall like Barney. The figure looked as if they were walking down a corridor that wasn’t even there. They walked at a leisurely pace and as they approached, Barney could make out their features.

It looked like a man. He was in a dark blue suit with a deep purple tie and carried a briefcase. He had a rectangular face but at the same time had sharp features. His cheekbones were high and his face shrunken to look almost gaunt. His skin was pale. Nearly as pale as the Combine Soldiers beneath their armor but not to that extreme. The paleness was still unsettling. His hair was a short black crew cut that made his head look even more rectangular than it already was.

Once he walked through Dog, Barney noticed the man was transparent as he could see Dog through the man. This was probably the most terrifying thing Barney had experienced in his forty-six years of life. He stopped to poke at the baseball that was still frozen in midair as if brushing some dust from it then turned to look at Barney.

That’s when Barney saw his eyes. They were an unnatural shade of green as they practically glowed with how bright they looked. They struck Barney to his very being and had made Barney stop struggling altogether. When had he started fighting to move? Why couldn’t he move in the first place?

The man. No. The Man. This was not some ordinary every-day person and he wasn't normal. Barney had to make the distinction between everyone and Him.

The Man smirked as he looked down at Barney. “ _Lon_ g time, no _see_. It has been a _while_ , I know, but it was for the _best_ I assure you.”

The way He talked was unnatural. There were pauses that shouldn’t be and inflections on the wrong syllables. He had all the words but none of the natural flow that language should have. It reminded Barney of an old text to speech machine. They had all the words, but couldn’t say them as well as a person.

Barney tried to speak, but no words came out. He was entirely at the mercy of the Man in front of him. Barney opted to glare at the Man instead.

“I can tell by your _expression_ that you are not _plea_ sed to see _me_. I _had_ thought we would be on… better terms _con_ sidering _all_ I have done for the resistance and your _self_. As for _Dr_. _Freeman_. He is alive for the time being.”

As He had been talking, the scenery changed from the White Forest garage to a black void then slowly changed to a long corridor. Barney could see through the man that two people were moving down the corridor. Their backs were to Barney, but he would recognize the HEV suit anywhere. So that meant the person in the beanie and heavy coat to the right side of the corridor would by Alyx. They had guns drawn and moved slowly, careful of anything they might encounter. Seeing nothing, Alyx lowered her weapon and turned to Gordon. She nodded to him before they jogged around the corner and out of sight.

The scenery changed once more, and they were back in the black void. “Your _methods_ of survival have not gone un _noticed_ , Mr. Cal _houn_. They remind me of another.”

Barney suddenly remembered Him. He’d seen Him once before at Black Mesa! Then again years later. That day was fuzzy in his mind, but he knew he’d seen the Man before.

“That’s why I have decided to provide you with _a gift_ , despite what my… _employers_ say. It should be very _bene_ ficial and aid you in _aiding others_.”

Barney started to struggle once more. He remembered what this Man was now. He was the one who kidnapped Gordon all those years ago!

Back in City 17, Barney had been checking in with Dr. Kleiner when the Man had appeared to them. He had brought Gordon’s HEV suit. There could have only been one way that He could have gotten that, and Barney wanted answers. The Man had only given Barney a smirk before going on to explain that Dr. Freeman was unharmed and in safe hands. Barney had called bullshit on that. He’d left the HEV suit behind for Kleiner and left them with parting words that Gordon would be returning in the near future.

When he had left, Barney’s memory had been fuzzy about the whole thing and he’d discovered the HEV suit all tucked into a crate. When he asked Kleiner about it, the man seemed ignorant about it and didn’t know where it had come from. Kleiner had modified it to use Combine energy outlets and only a few days after that was completed did Gordon show up at the train station.

Barney remembered that with anger in his heart. How dare He mess with their memories like that and use them as puppets. But the question remained as to what the gift would be? Was he going to take Barney away like he did Gordon? He couldn’t do that! Barney still had so much to do at White Forest.

“Before I _take_ my leave, re _member_ that this conversation is a _private_ matter,” He said before slowly fading away. Color started to return to the world and Barney found himself sitting in the same place as before, but time was still frozen.

A few more seconds passed when everything came back online. The ball moved, Dog caught the ball, and Barney gasped. He put a hand to his head and found sweat had broken out across his forehead.

Dog was on his feet and at Barney’s side in an instant, checking him over for injury.

“I’m alright, Dog. Just fine. Just spooked myself is all,” Barney lied. He remembered the Man. He remembered everything about him. Barney was not going to forget him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so there He is. I've been waiting for weeks to have this out for you! I always wondered why it seemed that Barney and Dr. Kleiner were expecting Gordon to appear and never questioned where he'd been. Not to mention the fact that Kleiner had the HEV Suit all ready for Gordon when he showed up.
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed the chapter please review. They sustain me.  
> If you want to talk one on one about the fic or just want to talk, you can find me at my Tumblr: suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	13. Chapter 13

Chell paced back and forth while the vortigaunts continued to hold the soldier down. Chell was pissed. She had been betrayed before, but she found satisfaction that she managed to snuff out the lies before she could be betrayed again.

Picking up the helmet once more, she kept it tucked under her arm and scowled at the man. “Where were you actually taking us?”

Gabriel spat at Chell, a thick glob landing on her pants leg. She ignored it. Instead, she opted to grab a fistful of the front of his jacket. “Just know that everything I said about Aperture is true. You go there, you die. You go inside, you will die! Bullets, crushers, gels, neurotoxin? Those are only the things I encountered,” she growled.

Gabriel’s angry expression remained intact. Seeing no reasoning with him, Chell decided to do more digging into his backpack. Inside, she found the rest of his uniform, spare magazines, packages wrapped in silver foil, and a radio. The radio had a long cord attached with a port on the end for it to be connected to something.

With nothing to worry about for the moment, Chell investigated all his gear. She discovered the jacked was padded and had some form of armor covering chest. It wasn’t very thick, but it might cushion her better than the thin shirt she was wearing. The pants were softer than the denim she had been wearing and had extra pockets. Opening one of the silver packets, Chell discovered it to be some kind of wafer or protein bar. She took a small bite and grimaced at the taste or lack thereof.

Picking up the helmet once more, she looked it over better. It was some type of metal, but it was far lighter than she’d expect for the material. Tapping the lenses revealed them to be made of glass. The helmet would divide into two pieces. One piece acting as a back then hooked onto the jacket and on this piece is where Chell found the place where the port would hook into. The other half of the helmet was just the gas mask and lenses. She held up that part to her face and found out despite the dark lenses, looking out of them didn’t obscure her vision. Instead, it seemed to enhance and make all the surrounding colors more vibrant than before.

Chell looked to Gabriel once again and frowned. He was watching each of her movements with keen interest. She ignored him once more before going over the gear again. Fiddling with the radio, she turned it on, but no sound was coming out. Looking to the receiver then the helmet, she put plugged it into its port but nothing still. On a complete gut feeling, and curiosity, Chell slipped the mask over her head. It must have some sort of pressure plate within the helmet because as soon as her ears pressed into the padding there was a small click and then a trill of beeps before a voice started to fill her ears.

 

_-to all outlying Overwatch Agents, be on the lookout for possible malcompliance subjects..._

 

It was a voice that sent a chill down her spine, a woman’s voice. It was mechanical in nature, but it sounded so much like Her that it left Chell frozen in place. It couldn’t be GLaDOS but why did it sound so much like her? GLaDOS had taken over and she’d kept them out of Aperture before. She had said so herself during their first fight. But why did it sound like Her? It wasn’t right!

Despite that, she had to keep searching for answers. Taking a deep breath, Chell sighed, “Okay.”

Chell paused. That wasn’t her voice yet it was her word. Right. The mask must have some sort of built-in voice modulator, vocoder her brain supplied, to give the soldiers a way to blend in with each other or to make everyone exactly the same.

“CP-1295, check in.”

Chell froze. She really hoped that wasn’t her.

“CP-1295, check-in, over.”

Chell removed the mask and looked to Gabriel with mild panic on her face. “Are you CP-1295?”

Gabriel kept his gaze fixed on Chell, but even he couldn’t stop the smirk that tugged at his lips. Shit.

Chell turned to the vortigaunts, “I need him to stay quiet. We might be in trouble.”

There was some hesitation before she slipped the helmet back over her head. The click sounded and once again the mechanical female voice filled her ears once more. The chill still ran up her spine, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d been prepared for it.

“CP-1295, check in.”

This was probably the stupidest decision she has ever made. Although this could provide them with some answers, it could very well end up with her death. Chell took a deep breath and stepped into the abyss. “Checking in.”

“Status on the suspect?” the voice answered in return.

Chell looked to Gabriel (CP-1295?) and frowned. What was she to say? She tried to think back to any movies or television shows she may have watched, but her mind drew a blank. She’d already taken the plunge and had to respond or risk suspicion from the soldiers on the other side of the mic.

Was that her? Was she the suspect or could it be someone else?

“CP-1295, respond.”

Dammit. She must have been lost in thought again. “Suspect attacked me. Stole most of my gear.”

Chell looked to the vortigaunts who had shifted their gaze to the backpack. Orange eye had an uncertain expression on their face.

“We have a lock on your location. We will send transport to pick you up for debriefing,” the other side responded.

Chell’s eyes widened in fear. Her jaw tightened and caused her to accidentally bite down on the inside of her mouth, but she didn’t feel it. Her body felt numb with the revelation.

“Do you copy, CP-1295?”

Chell felt a lump in her throat. She had to be careful now or risk tipping them off if she hadn’t already done so with how she’d been behaving over the radio.

“Copy,” she finally managed to say.

“Roger. Remain where you are and transport will arrive within the hour,” the radio responded before there was a click and all she heard was the mechanical female voice giving updates.

Chell pulled the helmet off her head and tossed it away. She felt cold once her face was exposed to the open air and that’s when she noticed sweat had broken out across her forehead and was running down in rivulets. They were on their way and would arrive within the hour. That’s what she gets for being careless! When she gets careless, something wrong always happened.

Turning to Gabriel, she stalked towards him before rearing one of her legs back and kicking him square in the gut. He let out a choked sound and attempted to double over, but the vortigaunts held him in place. That resulted in him vomiting on his lap. Kicking him didn’t make her feel any better but she needed something to take her aggression out on, and he was the closest thing.

“What has angered the Traveler so?” Wrinkles asked.

Chell looked to him with fury in her eyes before pointing to the radio and helmet, “They know where we are and are on their way here!”

Chell wanted to kick Gabriel again, but it wouldn’t accomplish anything.

“What shall we do then?”

Chell looked to Wrinkles again and shook her head. “Why are you asking me? Every decision I’ve made had led us into one bad decision after another. It was my idea to enter the city. It was my idea to stick to the roads. It was my idea to let him travel with us. And now another one of my ideas has the damn soldiers coming towards us.”

She was on the surface! It was unpredictable and so different than Aperture, yet she had continued to apply what she had learned in testing to the surface. Aperture tests were predictable and had a straightforward goal, but the surface was the complete opposite. There was no order, no path, nothing. She had been following the surface as if there was a line she had to follow but she couldn’t keep doing that or she would end up dead.

So Chell began to way her options. She could split up with the vortigaunts to get far away from their current location and then try to meet back up, but that left the question of what to do with Gabriel. Option two was to hide from the transport but if what the vortigaunts had shown her was anything to go by then that would be a bad idea. Yet both options involved one crucial variable; Gabriel.

If they left him behind, he could easily attempt to follow, and they’d end up captured or dead. If they killed him and ran away, then they’d be pursued and the story Chell had told to the radio would be proven false. Killing him seemed to be the better option as it would provide them with a better opportunity to escape.

So that’s what she decided. Chell went to where his gun had been dropped and took it in her hands. She checked the ammo, made sure the safety was off, then pointed it at Gabriel’s head. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. Only two days prior had she been in the exact same position. At the time, the two white masks had kept her in place while the blue-eyed one had pointed the gun. Chell didn’t think anyone would be coming to the rescue of Gabriel.

 

_This isn’t brave. It’s murder._

_I’ve been really busy being dead. You know… After you murdered me?_

_Say, you’re good at murder._

 

No. That had been survival! Self-defense! Chell had never murdered anyone, but the idea of killing Gabriel made Chell feel sick. He looked just as human as Chell. He didn’t have that unnatural pale skin the blue-eyed soldier had, but he was still human. Killing him wouldn’t be right no matter how much safer Chell and the vortigaunts would be.

The gun wavered, her eyes drifted to meet Gabriel’s. His mouth was a thin line and he looked to be still winded from the kick she delivered, but his eyes held defiance. He truly believed he was going to die but was facing it head-on. His eyes… They reminded her of how she felt when she shot the portal at the moon. Her eyes then drifted to look at the vortigaunts. They almost seemed… sad?

Dammit!

Chell lowered the gun and stalked away. She pressed her hands to her head, hands gripping at her hair. She wasn’t supposed to make decisions that decided the fate of someone else! She was supposed to have come to the surface, find some help, and live her life, not get caught up in a revolution and continuously on the run from soldiers with two alien bodyguards.

Gritting her teeth, Chell tossed the gun to the side in anger before shoving most of the contents of Gabriel’s pack back into its place. She left the uniform out.

Chell approached the vortigaunts once more with her arms crossed, “I have an idea, but it’s incredibly stupid. I need you two to leave me here.”

They perked up in surprise at her words. Wrinkles tightened his grip on Gabriel, causing the man to wince. “We can’t do that, Traveler. It is wiser for us to flee. The combine shall-“

“There is not enough time for that,” Chell interrupted.

“What shall we do with the traitor,” Orange eye asked.

Chell met Gabriel’s gaze once more. He still had a defiant look, but there was something else there now. Hope? Confusion?

Frowning, Chell met Orange once more, “Take him far away and leave him. Don’t kill him.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened at that. Had he expected her to have the vortigaunts kill him instead?

“What are you planning?” Wrinkles asked.

Chell didn’t answer as she was too busy stripping out of her clothes. Modesty be damned. She scrutinized each piece of uniform before pulling it on. The pants were a little long on her and the shoes a couple sizes too big, but she tucked the ends of the pants down inside and kept the laces tight to prevent them from slipping. The jacket was a little big in the chest and it was apparent she wasn't as broad as Gabriel. Looking around at what she had at hand, Chell grabbed one of the companion cube discs and shoved it down in the front of the jacket just over her chest. It not only provided the extra padding to fill out the chest, but it also hid the fact she was female through the jacket. She then cinched all the belt tight to her body, letting it all mold to her shape.

Last came the radio. Inside the pants, Chell found a pocket that looked like it was supposed to hide the receiver. She fit it inside and ran the receiving chord through her jacket and out the top to connect to the helmet once more.

With the helmet tucked under her arm, she looked to Gabriel. “You’re going to die,” he said.

“I haven’t yet,” she shot back.

He narrowed his eyes in anger, “You should have killed me. If they find me, then they will kill me. If they discover what you are doing, you will die.”

“Then I better not get caught,” she growled back.

Orange eye shook his head, “I must advise against this course of action.”

“We don’t have time to debate this. Either I go with them while you hide or we risk them finding us together. At least this way, I can buy you some time,” Chell explained while slipping her portal gun inside Gabriel’s backpack along with the rations and the remainder of the heart discs. At least if she survived this, she wouldn’t have to use a bedsheet anymore.

She handed the pack off to Wrinkles with a sad smile, “Keep this safe. I’ll meet back up with you when I can.”

Wrinkles looked to Orange and they shared a look. Wrinkles let go of Gabriel, but before the man could fight back, Orange had gathered a ball of energy in their hand pressed it against Gabriel’s head. He let out a sigh as his body went limp.

While that happened, Wrinkles approached Chell and placed a hand on her shoulder, “We shall meet again. We feel it in the vortessence just as we feel your resolve. Be safe, Traveler, for we wish to finish our journey with you.”

Chell smiled and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder as well, “I’ll see you soon.”

Both the vortigaunts gave her a smile while Orange picked up Gabriel in his arms. They cast one last look at her before they took off running into the woods. Chell watched them until she couldn’t see them anymore and then waited for the sound of their movements to die down. Even then she waited a few more minutes before finally lifting the mask from under her arm and slipping it once more over her head and securing it to her coat. With clumsy fingers from the gloves, she plugged the radio in once more and waited for the click. The female voice filled her ears once more.

Going to the road, Chell stood in the middle to wait. It wasn’t long until one of the armored vehicles that she had flagged down two days ago approached. It slowed to a stop, and two soldiers hopped out. They were both wearing the white masks like her own.

They nodded to her and she walked with purpose to the vehicle. The interior was dark, but a red light was illuminating the interior. With a mechanical sigh, Chell climbed inside and once more found herself in the abyss.

 

Chell said nothing as she took a seat near the back. The interior was cramped, but there was just enough room to hold four soldiers inside. One seat for the driver, one for a gunner, and two passengers. Her eyes skimmed every inch of the cabin, trying to see what she could use to get out of her current situation.

Along the walls were lines that resembled circuitry panels and there was a panel situated into the wall of the vehicle directly behind the driver. Her fingers itched to look inside but doing so might jeopardize her cover, so she decided to stay seated.

Looking at the back wall, Chell saw a line of weapons. There were a few pistols like the one she had taken from Gabriel but had left in the backpack with the vorts, some machine guns like the one the blue-eyed soldier had held to her head, some shotguns, and two rifles she had never seen before. In fact, they didn’t look anything she’d ever seen before. They were solid black and had two barrels stacked on top of each other, the lower one being shorter. On the side of the weapon was a box attached that curved underneath and looped back to attach itself to the side. Was that the ammo? Strange place for the ammo to be stored on a gun. What she assumed was the ammo had a soft red light but besides the main trigger was a secondary trigger. Why would a gun need two triggers? Was it a type of portal gun too? No. It was too militaristic to be a portal gun.

Drawing her gaze away from the weapons, Chell nearly jumped at what she saw. How she had missed them before she didn’t know but there was a third soldier only this one was very different than any of the ones she’d seen before. It was clad in solid white padded armor that looked much thicker than the jackets and vests the other soldiers had been wearing. The only splashed of color that wasn’t white were its black boots and a red armband on its right arm that Chell couldn’t see what was on it from her angle. On the left arm of the soldier was another white armband with an insignia of a cracked skull that looked to be held within some kind of claw. As her gaze moved upwards, she noticed this solder had some sort of neck guard as well, but then she saw their mask. It made her freeze in place and bring back memories.

The gas mask was domed and completely rounded over the top of the soldier’s head and that combined with the bright single red eye gave Chell the creeps.

 

_Dispensing product_

 

It was like a turret. Black legs, white body, single red eye. Even if it weren’t because of the extra armor, Chell would stay as far away from the soldier as she could. She didn’t have to be a genius to know that soldier was a completely different caliber of fighter. Despite how Chell looked at it for several seconds, its gaze never left the wall opposite its seat. Completely stationary, although she doubted knocking it to the ground wouldn’t put it out of commission.

Wherever they were going, it didn’t take long to get there. It must have been a little over half an hour when the vehicle stopped and the doors opened. The soldier in white was the first to exit the vehicle, followed by the gunner and driver. Chell was slow to leave, but once she stepped out into the sunlight, her eyes widened in shock.

Their vehicle had parked beside several others just like it and was soon hooked up to a mass of power lines that ran over her head. The chords all joined up to an antenna in a building placed in the center of the combine soldier compound. All around her, soldiers in different types of masks and armors marched and proceeded to direct orders. They were organized and methodical, but all she could think was how stupid her plan was in that moment. Chell suddenly had an idea of what a mouse in a nest of vipers might feel like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to check in with Chell again and boy is she making some questionable decisions...
> 
> You guys want to know something? I've already got over 60k words written for this fic. Future chapters just need to be edited until I feel they are ready for posting. I'm trying to have a schedule for posting chapters, but this might be the last for November. This is because I've been working on an original story for the last year and I'm using National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to devote it to that. It's a mini-hiatus on updates, but you can expect updates to continue in December.
> 
> But in other news, who can tell me the significance of the CP number assigned to "Gabriel"? You get kudos from me for figuring it out.
> 
> As always, comments are appreciated and if you want to chat, you can find me at: suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	14. Chapter 14

He ran fast as he could, crashing through bushes and trees without care. There had to be something around; a landmark, road sign, even a damn building! He’d been wandering around for over an hour and yet he’d come across nothing but trees and rocks.

He didn’t even know why he was out in the middle of the goddamn forest in the first place. Oh, when he found the son of a bitch who abandoned him, he’d make him pay! The first thing he’d have to do is find civilization, then he’d have to find the bastard. Okay, maybe he’d need to take things one step at a time.

Looking around, the man tried to find the sun, but it was blocked out by the trees. As he kept his eyes fixed up, he wandered around trying to get his bearings. That ended up being a mistake as he’d been too busy looking at the sky that he neglected to see the cliff.

He’d been walking backward, and the moment his foot stepped off the edge, his stomach was in his throat. He felt weightless as he scrambled like a mad cat to find purchase, but all he found was air. His back hit the dirt and he tumbled over backward down the steep embankment before landing facedown in a creek.

_Ow_. Everything hurt, but he didn’t think anything was broken. Definitely bruised but not broken. At least the water was cold but wet clothes was never a pleasant feeling. Sitting up on his knees, he groaned and looked up from where he fell. Twenty-five feet at the maximum. Yeah, not a fatal fall but it hurt like hell.

Once on his feet, he noticed he was in what used to be a river but was no more than a creek. Looking around, he smiled at finally seeing something manmade. It was some kind of barrier built into the creek out of corrugated metal sheets and road signs. The lettering on a few of the signs was some kind of Cyrillic alphabet. Was he in Russia?

Sighing, he shook his head and climbed up the stairs to the left of the barrier and hopped over. Once down, he had to pause at what he saw. The biggest and ugliest thing he’d seen yet was laying dead in the water in front of him. It had three long legs that easily reached thirty feet each they were attached to a triangular shaped body. Part of its body had been torn off, by what he didn’t think he wanted to know. He inspected it and noticed it dripped a deep mauve colored blood. The man made a disgusted sound before walking past it.

He made it only a few feet past a second large creature that looked like a mechanical whale, when he heard the snapping of twigs nearby. His eyes scanned the area, but it was too late. He’d been spotted.

“Stop where you are!”

His head snapped up to look up the cliff where a man in a dark vest, denim jeans, and dark hair was holding a strange gun. Said gun was pointing in his direction. Wait. He was speaking perfect English. What was he doing out in a European forest?

“Don’t move, until you’re cleared!” The man called out. Suddenly two more people appeared on the cliff and started climbing down with surprising ease. As they approached, he noticed they were both wearing similar uniforms, and they sported a familiar symbol on each arm. He rolled his eyes as they approached.

The two that approached were both sporting MP7s. As they got closer, he began to notice more things about them. Although they were dressed the part of soldiers, they weren’t soldiers. Their stance, the way they held their guns, the way they approached him. It was all... wrong.

One of them approached him, their gun hanging loose around their shoulders by a nylon strap. Wrong again. They didn't even have a hand on it.

“Arms above your head and legs spread. We can’t take any chances,” one of the fakers said.

He complied, but as soon as they started their pat down, the man pivoted on his feet and snatched the gun from the fake soldier's side. The strap provided some resistance, but he used that to bring the phony soldier off balance. The sudden change in momentum brought the faker forward, so the man was able to wrestle the MP7 over the head of the fallen soldier.

With the sudden change in direction, the second faker ran at him. The man had expected that and pivoted once more on his left foot to bring his right knee up and into the gut of the approaching attacker. They grunted in pain, and that’s when he realized it was a girl. Shit, he just hit a girl!

Double shit. He just attacked two people while someone still had a gun aimed at him from above.

Looking sheepish, he dropped the gun he had stolen and went to his knees in defeat.

The first faker was scrambling back up and looking rather angry. The man gave an apologetic shrug of his soldiers before putting his hands on his head. “Sorry…”

 

An hour later, with hands bound behind his back, he was led into a compound of sorts and steered towards a small metal building. Must have been used for storage at one point but the inside had a single table and a chair. He was forced into the chair rather rough by the woman he’d hit. He’d already apologized for that, but she hadn't accepted it. His hands were bound to the chair and ankles too. At least they did something right, but the question remained. Would this be torture or interrogation? Sometimes they weren’t mutually exclusive.

He didn’t have to wait long before he heard something outside the shed. There were a mechanical pounding and some long drawn out sounds before voices that were mumbled by the metal walls reached his ears. He couldn’t make out what was being said, but he was sure it involved him. Of course, it involves you, dumbass, he thought to himself with a sigh. He was the one tied to a fucking chair.

The mechanical sounds drew closer and so did the voices.

“I don’t know, man. He looks like a civilian, but he took down Roger and Maya like it was nothing, Calhoun!”

Oh yeah. They were talking about him.

“Let me talk to him,” a second voice answers. He assumed that voice must be Calhoun.

A few minutes later a man with dark hair walks into the room with a second chair. He looked like hell warmed over with the heavy bags under his eyes, sunken cheeks, and messy hair. He had some gray in his hair at the temples and a few streaks appearing near the front of his scalp, but he was probably in his late forties at least.

“Alright, Rambo, care to explain why you attacked two of my men and then gave up?” He asked while swinging the chair around to sit in it backward with his legs spread to accommodate the width of the chair.

Rambo?

“I don’t know. It just happened really,” he answered.

“Do you make a habit of attacking people or do you just do it to rebels?” The man asked.

“Are you in charge here?”

This guy, Calhoun, held himself like he was in charge but there was something off about the whole situation. His shoulders were rounded, not square like all the big guys held themselves. He also seemed more relaxed with how he sat in the chair. This was not the attitude of someone in charge.

Calhoun was caught off guard, that’s for sure. He visibly flinched at the question and his gaze looked to the ground. “No.”

At least he was honest.

“But I’d like for you to answer my questions,” he continued.

“Alright…”

Calhoun smiled at that and stood up from the chair. “Alright, so why’d you attack the rebels?”

“I felt threatened,” he shrugged.

“For what reason?”

Was this guy serious? “Excuse me for waking up in the middle of the forest and stumbling across some fake soldiers holding guns in my face. That tends to make me jumpy.”

That made the guy pause again.

“Why’d you wake up in the woods?”

Was he serious?

“Some jack-hole kidnapped me. He then abandoned me out in the fucking woods of god knows where… I don’t know!” He glared daggers at the dark-haired man. “And just what the hell are you talking about. What are you doing out here running a guerilla compound in the first place?”

Now the man looked confused. He damn well should be confused.

“What’s the last thing you remember before you woke up?”

A voice. That damn voice. It was everywhere and nowhere. “You won’t believe me…”

“Try me,” Calhoun smirked.

Taking a deep breath, he said what would either condemn him to a padded room or mockery. He’d take mockery any day. “Well, I remember an explosion and some green lights…” he paused. He wanted the Calhoun guy to believe him, but his story was just so outrageous. “Some strange creatures appeared. They teleported out of thin air, then that... guy appeared. There was darkness, then I woke up in the forest without my fatigues.”

The man looked to give his answer some serious thought. Just who the hell was he?

“Before we continue, Thunder Dome, you got a name?”

“Course. What kinda guy doesn’t have a name?”

“Alright, smart ass. What is your name or should I keep giving you nicknames?”

He shot Calhoun a look before answer. “Shephard. Adrian Shephard”

 

Adrian, huh?

Barney looked at the man with curiosity. He had a strong build to him and with what he heard from Matt outside, he had some fighting experience. Not only that, but he had witnessed some sort of teleportation event and possible memory loss with how he claimed to wake up in the middle of the forest. He could be lying about that.

Yet something bothered Barney about the whole thing. The central fact being the guy didn’t look a day over twenty-five and manner of speech was strange. Fatigues? That was military speak. In fact, everything about him screamed military. From the way he squared his shoulders as if it at attention to his clean shaved face and a shaggy yet well-kept crew cut. Just who was this kid? Damn. He was just a kid. He couldn’t be a day over twenty-five.

 

‘ _sending you a gift..._ ’

 

Barney pursed his lips in thought and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, think you can answer a couple more questions for me?”

“Sure. I don’t have any other plans,” Adrian responded, wiggling his legs and jerking his shoulders to accentuate the fact he couldn’t move if he wanted.

“You're a little smart ass, you know?”

“Takes one to know one,” Adrian replied.

Calhoun sighed before continuing. “Alright, Adrian. After the stunt you pulled down by the river, some of my guys think you might be a Combine Soldier,” Calhoun said as if he was discussing the weather. “Care to confirm or deny that?

‘ _Combine? What’s the Combine_ ,’ Adrian thought to himself.

“What the fuck does farm equipment have to do with me?”

Barney sighed as he realized what that meant. He had no idea what had been going on the last twenty years but what could this guy have to help Barney? He looked like a kid, but there had to be more to it.

Teleportation… Barney prayed he was wrong. “Joking aside, time to get back to business. You ever hear about Black Mesa?”

Barney watched as Adrian’s entire frame went rigid at the mention of the old facility. So he had been at the labs and combined with his lingo, Barney had a steady idea of what he was.

“That damn place…”

“So you do know about it? What can you tell me?” Barney said. He had to have confirmation. He needed to know if this was one of those bastards that killed his friends.

Adrian shook his head and grimaced. “I tried. I tried all I could, but it all amounted to shit.”

Barney cocked his eyebrow at the kid.

“I tried to do everything I could to stop it. Nothing I did seemed to be good enough. I- I was too late to save them,” Adrian mumbled. He paused to take a breath before looking up to meet Barney’s gaze. “Briggs, Davies, Travers… Otis… They all died because I wasn’t there, or I was too slow to save them.”

Barney had a flicker of a memory. A large man who had a big stomach and an even bigger heart. The man had been an amazing shot with a handgun and had spent many hours with Barney helping him get better with his pistol. He hadn’t thought of Otis for years.

“We were called in. My team. I was about to find out my orders when the Osprey was shot down. I was out until the next day. It was hell. I tried to fight my way out but everyone I met… I thought I could save them all. I did all I could. That bomb. I turned it off! But…” He paused again. He squeezed his eyes shut tight as if in pain before looking up at Barney once more. “But it still detonated. What’s the point of putting on the uniform if I couldn’t protect anyone!”

Barney had reached out and gripped onto the side of Adrian’s shoulders. He then began to shake the man hard enough for the chair to start shaking. “Hey! Calm down, kid!” Barney then took his knife hidden inside his boot to cut away the ties holding Adrian in his seat. Didn’t want him hurting himself trying to get out.

Adrian instantly stood to his feet and began pacing back and forth, hands raking through his short brown hair.

Barney recognized the signs. He’d seen many people go through the same over the years and there came a point where it became a natural occurrence to see. The kid was having some kind of panic attack, a pretty big one too. Seemed all the stress of what he’d been through was catching up to him. Barney watched as Adrian’s breathing only became harder and his movements quicker. If he continued like this then-

“Where the fuck happened?”

And there it was.

“I’ll explain it all, but you will have to give me the full story as well,” Barney said. He kept his voice slow and what he thought was a calming tone. “Think we can do that?”

Adrian kept his eyes fixed on Barney as if he was a predator about to pounce, but he knew the man was right. “Yeah… I think so.”

Barney nodded his head and sighed. “Okay. Let’s get you checked out in the med bay then we’ll get the full story.”

Despite the panic attack, Barney knew who the guy used to be, and he wanted answers from him. He wasn’t about to let one of _them_ out of his sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And welcome back! I told you I'd start posting once December hit. I had this chapter all nice and ready for you. If you looked at the tags, you might have realized who was showing up. If not, then that's okay.   
> I was always intrigued by Adrian's Shepherd and what he went through to survive during HL: Opposing Force and I wanted to explore more into who he was and what was going through his mind as he realized what his orders would have been.
> 
> Anyway, comments are appreciated as always, and if you want to chat, you can find me at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	15. Chapter 15

Chell looked over the compound and felt a trickle of sweat run down the back of her neck. Why did she think going with them was ever a good idea?

Looking around, she got a better look at the compound. It had a chain-link fence going around the entire perimeter with barbed wire along the top. Two more soldiers guarded the gate with blue-eyed masks and another with red. The red-eyed soldier brandished a shotgun and had full armor in dark gray and black compared to the blue and black of the blue-eyed soldiers.

There were several buildings within the compound. There were two identical buildings off to one side where other soldiers in uniforms like her own were milling about out front while the one next door had one of the singular red-eyed soldiers guarding the entrance. She really needed proper names for the types of soldiers if she was going to have to keep referring to them by their eye colors.

The next building she saw had more windows than the other, but all had bars on the outside. She did her best to look like she belonged, so she did her best to walk much like everyone else. Eyes forward and stride with purpose. Whereas she had been treating the outside world as a test when she didn’t need to, this would have to be treated like one. Stay focused at all times or end up dead.

The last building was the largest and located in the very center of the compound. It was a two-story building with barred windows on the second floor and a large antenna attached to the roof. The antenna had long thick cables branching off and traveling to all the surrounding buildings and the fence.

Along the fence perimeters were black spires with the wires attached to the top and a luminescent blue field of light could be seen. It reminded Chell of an emancipation grill from Aperture. First, the voice that sounded like GLaDOS and now Emancipation Grills? What did Aperture have to do with the Combine?

If she wanted any chance to survive, she would need to find out all she could about them and escape. It was still early, so she had plenty of time to explore before dark. With her decision made, Chell moved around the compound with ease.

The building with the other white masked soldiers out front turned out to be a barracks of sorts. Chell walked inside to keep up appearances as if she was going back to ‘her’ bunk. There was a line of bunk beds along each wall with numbers posted on the frame on each bed. Some beds only had one set of numbers while others had two. On the beds with two sets of numbers, there would be two storage chests at the foot of each one while single set only had one chest. Bunk assignments. What had they addressed her as in the woods? She walked along the beds, scanning each number, until she noticed a bunk with CP-1295 stamped on the frame.

‘CP-1295, check in.’

That was the number. It was one of the beds to have a single stamp, but it was also furthest from the exit. No matter.

There were a couple other soldiers sitting on their beds or off in corners talking with each other. Some looked her way and nodded in greeting. She nodded back. That satisfied them enough as they would turn back to whatever they had been doing before.

Keeping up appearances, she opened up the chest in front of the bunk and began to rummage through it. Not much in the way of belongings. There were a couple boxes of bullets for a pistol and extra casings to hold the ammo, magazines her mind supplied. Along with the ammo were a few of the awful ration packs and a large black duffel. Smiling, she started moving all the items into the duffel. It could all come in handy once she left the base.

Just as she put the last ration pack into the duffel, Chell came across a small but worn out book tucked into the bottom of the chest. It was tattered, and several pages had been dog-eared as if it had been read several times. The title was _Civil Authority of the Universal Union_. It was plain white with a script that didn’t provide any sort of excitement. The only form of a logo on the paper was the strange claw grasping onto a ball down in the right-hand corner.

Universal Union? That’s a new one. Flopping down onto the bunk, Chell began to thumb through the first few pages. What it turned out to be was a manual of the different branches of combine troops. Apparently, the branch she was masquerading as was called ‘Civil Protection’ and not considered actual soldiers. Explained the CP in front of the numbers on her bed and it doubled as giving her an actual name to the white masks. They were in charge of keeping order within the core cities, but that didn’t explain why there was so many outside of a city.

The soldiers with the black masks were called Overwatch Soldiers. The more Chell read, the more disturbed she became with the idea of them. Apparently, they would undergo surgical modifications to make them better fighters. She didn’t read all of it, but they had some sort of ocular implants, built in vocoders, and adrenal implants for increased strength. It made Chell shudder to think of what the implants must feel like.

Then came the red-eyed soldiers. There were called the Overwatch Elite. They had taken the step further when it came to modifications and training until all they cared about was serving the so-called Universal Union. Whereas the standard soldier still retained some form of humanity, the Elite surgery went further and became more extensive. Their limbs were manually reconstructed, they received hearing implants to increase their range of hearing, and the adrenal implants took it a step further so not only would their strength increase but their pain receptors would shut off the second they needed it to. The way the booklet was worded, it made it all sound inviting. Its exact words were: _‘The Overwatch Elite is the next step in humanity’s evolution to greatness. By pledging yourself to become an Elite, you shall reap the benefits of what the future shall hold for the human race. Not only will you be highly regarded among the Civil Authority, but you will receive personal gratitude from myself and our benefactors.’_

Chell cringed when she read it. Looking at the front cover, she frowned at the author's name. _Doctor Wallace Breen. Administrator._ Breen? Chell hadn’t heard his name before, but whoever he was, he sounded like a pompous ass.

The rest of the booklet was codes to identify certain situations. They ranged from someone standing on a street corner to armed rebellion. There were lots of codes, and all the soldiers were required to memorize them? If she wasn’t horrified, she might have been impressed.

Shoving the booklet into one of her pockets, Chell got off the bed and started to head out of the barracks. She was halfway there when she heard someone call out to her.

“Hey, Gabe!” Well, not her specifically.

Chell turned to look from where the voice had come from and saw one of the Civil Protection officers that nodded to her when she arrived. She felt mild panic at being noticed and called by the name of the CP officer. She had to reassure herself that she could do it. She just needed to stay confident and focused.

“Yeah,” she replied, managing to hide her nervousness.

“You promised you’d tell me how the mission went. Any news?”

“Failed. The suspect got away,” Chell said. Although she was nervous, she also felt a little smug at being able to say that to the enemy.

“Damn. Sorry man. At least we need all the men we can get or else you’d be in some serious trouble,” the CP laughed.

Chell forced a chuckle in response, but she didn’t even want to think of what would have happened to her had they not been short on soldiers.

“Anyway, I’m 'bout to head to the mess hall. Want to come?”

“No. I’m not hungry.” Chell shoved her hands into her pockets and looked to the doors.

There was a tense silence, or at least it felt tense to Chell.

“Suit yourself,” the CP finally said.

The CP walked out of the bunks and Chell was right behind them. He headed off to the central building while she headed towards the building next door. The guard made her avoid attempting entrance, but she walked along the side of the building and peeked inside. It looked to be a storage building. The inside was filled with crates and cabinets.

Further into the room, Chell could make out a rack with more of the strange shaped guns. It made sense to have weapon storage near the barracks in case of attack, but at the same time, it seemed a risk to Chell. She couldn’t understand why she felt that way.

On the other side of the compound was a building with large doors that rolled upwards from the bottom. Peering through the side door revealed the inside to house more of the vehicles like the one she arrived in.

“What are you doing?”

Chell spun around to come face to face with one of the blue-eyed soldiers. He had snuck up on her and Chell couldn’t help but feel he could see through her despite the mask.

Seeing they were wanting an answer, Chell straightened up to look more professional, “Inspecting things. Checking for signs of weakness,” she managed. It was a flimsy excuse, but it’s all she could come up with. She tried to think of what GLaDOS might say, but even then, her lies were always easy to pick out because of her past behavior.

“Inspecting… for weakness?” The soldier said, confusion evident in their voice. “Cease at once. You are needed in the main annex for questioning. Follow me.”

Questioning? Why would she need to be questioned? She hadn’t done anything since getting back other than sit in the bunks. Had it been scheduled already for the CP or was she found out?

She had question after question going through her head. She still followed the Overwatch Soldier because if she ran, she would die before she even took five steps. Chell doubted she’d get even two steps if she decided to run. Damn. When had she become such a pessimist? Chell had been an optimist for most of her time below the surface of the earth, but why the sudden attitude change? She blamed the stress of the whole situation.

Chell followed the soldier to the central building and paused to watch as he walked through a luminescent blue field of light. It reminded Chell of an emancipation grill in Aperture. It was getting ridiculous at how much technology the combine had that resembled Aperture tech. She was starting to think it wasn’t a coincidence anymore.

Feeling hesitant of what would happen if she walked through the field, Chell took a deep breath before stepping forward. There was some resistance as if it could feel she was wrong, but it still let her pass through without destroying any of her clothes or teeth. Her tongue gently prodded at the empty spot where one of her teeth had been vaporized by the fields the first time she went testing against GLaDOS.

The OS led Chell through the annex, passing several doorways that held the same blue energy fields. She tried to see what was inside each room as they moved. Passing one room made Chell pause. It was a vast room and filled with rectangular towers with blinking lights and they were all protected by glass. In the very center of the room was a large cylinder with a glowing ball of light that continued to bounce up and down within. The ball reminded Chell of high energy pellets, but the towers are what really caught her eye.

It was a server room. With that many servers, it meant that the entire compound would be computer controlled and they had a lot of information that came through the station. Chell smiled to herself. She had a way to break out as she had a habit of breaking computers.

Eventually, the soldier led Chell to a room with an actual door. He led her inside and took a seat at the lone metal table. She sat down across from him, her hands resting on the table, fingers interlocking. They were soon joined by a second OS but this one with a red-eyed helmet. It carried a small packet of paper and some device. It set everything on the table and Chell got a good look at the device and her eyes lit up. It was an electronic tape recorder.

The OS she followed took the recorder and pushed the central button to record.

“Commencing debriefing of CP-1295 in regards to Suspect AS2. CP-1295, state the status of the mission you were given,” the soldier said.

Chell felt both relief and panic set in. It was like an interview, but she had to answer questions about herself and Aperture but have it come from Gabriel? Steeling herself, she managed to keep up the stiff posture of authority and nodded her head. “The mission in leading the suspect to a nearby transport was a failure, but they provided valuable information.”

The OS wrote down some notes on the paper before looking up at Chell. “Why was it a failure?”

Chell couldn’t help but smirk. “The suspect was smarter than originally planned. She discovered I was lying after noticing my boots looked new despite my story that I had been on the road for months with rebels.”

Another note from the OS. “What sort of information did the suspect provide?”

Now, this is where Chell was going to have some fun. “Suspect provided me with information on Aperture Science technology and where to find an entrance. The suspect told me how the entire facility is abandoned and in disrepair.”

Chell felt the lies roll off her tongue with ease. With each one came another and soon she had an entire web of lies of what they might expect inside Aperture. If she had to deal with the Combine, then she would make sure they were poorly equipped for dealing with anything involving Aperture.

“Suspect said they were the only one left alive, but I feel they may have been lying about that. They woke up, found some clothes, and navigated their way out. No security systems in place at the moment. At least that’s what they told me,” Chell finished.

The OS wrote a couple more notes then clicked off the recorder. “That is all. One more stop then report to your barracks for lights out.”

The OS stood to his feet and Chell quickly followed suit. She followed him out of the room and down the hall. They turned into a doorway without energy field, but Chell promptly learned why the moment she stepped inside. To her left was a field that took up the entire height and length of the room so that it was divided in half. Through the blue energy, Chell could make out someone curled up into the corner with their back facing the OS and herself.

Chell could only see their hair and back, but it was enough for her to freeze in place. The individual’s hair was bright red with tangled mats in a bun. Their clothes looked to be a wrinkled brown jumpsuit with orange decals along the waist, back, and legs. They didn’t look like much, but the single detail that left Chell frozen in place were the three words emblazoned in white on the back of their jumpsuit. Aperture Test Subject.

At their approach, the figure sat up in alarm. They had bruises on their face, and they looked to be in pain just from the simple act of sitting up. Chell bit her lip to keep from saying or doing anything foolish.

Once they were up on their knees, Chell finally could see it was a woman. She looked to be older than Chell, possibly in their late twenties or early thirties. They had freckles across their cheeks and nose, bright hazel eyes, and a distinctive mole above their lip. She was pretty in Chell’s opinion, but she was also in a lot of trouble. She reached out one hand and let it rest against the blue field, but her hand didn’t pass through. It acted much like a wall instead of a light barrier. As her hand touched the wall, Chell noticed her hair started to stand on end as the energy raced through her body.

“Suspect, stand up,” the OS said.

The woman let out a silent grunt from the exertion, but she managed to get to her feet.

“Your verdict will be carried out tomorrow. Do you have any questions?”

The woman shook her head, her eyes not making contact with either Chell or the OS.

“Very well. CP-1295, if you have any questions for your suspect, ask them now,” The OS said before walking out of the room. Although he was gone, Chell felt like they were still listening.

Approaching the energy field, Chell took a deep breath before walking through. The woman flinched at that and took a few steps backward. That’s when Chell noticed what looked like the remains of a pogo stick attached to the back of her right boot. Some early form of the long fall boots?

Chell had to keep up appearances if they were watching. “Don’t move!”

She hated yelling at the woman, but it was necessary. The woman stopped moving back as Chell continued to approach. It wasn’t like the woman could go anywhere as she had accidentally backed herself into a corner.

Chell was suddenly happy for the hard back-plate on the helmets for what she was about to do.

With careful hands, she undid the clasp on her helmet and removed the protective white mask. The rush of cool air felt nice on her skin, but she didn’t relish it long, as she took in the surprised expression of the woman. Keeping her voice low, Chell inclined her head towards the woman. “Keep your voice low. They may still hear us,” she said.

If the woman had been confused before, her expression only continued to become alarmed. “You aren’t the one who led me here,” she loudly whispered.

She had a slight accent to her voice, but Chell couldn’t place what it might have been, but she put a finger to her lips and nodded. “No. I stole this suit to hide.”

“Why would you do something so stupid?” The woman replied.

“I asked myself that too once I got here.”

That elicited a smile from the woman. Either she was the trusting type, or she was indulging Chell.

“I’m escaping tonight, but I can’t leave you here. I’ll be back to let you out when its time, alright?” Chell assured.

She looked skeptical. “Why should I believe you? You could be leading me into another trap.”

She had a point. Chell didn’t think she would be so trusting of another person after everything that happened. She should never have trusted Gabriel in the first place. Chell crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.

“I really don’t care if you believe me, but we came from the same place. Come with me or not, but I’m leaving tonight,” she huffed before sliding the mask back into its place.

Before she had the chance to turn around, Chell saw the flicker of confusion on the woman’s face. At least she would have something to think about before she started her plan.

 

Chell found out most of the CPs slept without their masks on but kept their uniforms untouched. Strange. Apparently, the Overwatch Soldiers needed to sleep as well as they were in the bunks closest to the door, but they didn’t take off their helmets. The Elites on the other hands… not a single one was in the bunks. Chell didn’t know where they were, but she had to get moving or risk another day of being discovered.

She had waited a full hour after lights out to slip from the cot. She grabbed the duffel with the rations and tiptoed to the other end of the bunk. Every single pad of boot on tile sent panic down her spine or every huff of breath through a mask. Her fear was unfounded as she managed to open the door to the barracks and stepped into the moonlight without issue.

She stayed near the walls of the bunks and crept around to look at the next building over. There stood an Elite with one of the strange guns in their hands and back to the door. Not a problem. Chell simply started walking the long way around the building until they were at the back end of the supply shed. Lucky for her, there were windows at the back and someone had left it unlocked. With some difficulty, she managed to clamber inside and started to sift through all the crates. Her bag soon became overflowing with ration packs, what she assumed to be first-aid kits by the red cross stamped on the side, and ammo. To be safe, Chell had grabbed some weapons as well. She had grabbed a pistol, a shotgun, a machine gun, and one of the strange double barreled rifles. The final crate she opened was marked with a warning sign and silhouette of a cylinder with a handle. Chell was happy to see grenades, but she was running out of room, so she only took three. While she was in the shed, she decided to go ahead and load up the guns with ammo. Better to be prepared for anything than nothing at all.

Her bag was heavy. She had never known how heavy guns actually were until she had four of them on her person. The pistol she kept in the holster at her side, but the rest went into her duffel, but they stuck out one end as they weren’t a perfect fit. She was forced to push it back out the window and let it drop to the ground before she could scramble out. Chell was less than graceful coming out the window than going in. She fell out and landed on the bag, the barrel of the shotgun digging into her spine. She hissed in pain but was up in seconds.

She picked it up but not before hearing the sound of footsteps coming closer. Her heart quickened as she started moving around the side of the building and out of sight. Turning on her feet, Chell took off running as fast as the bag would let her to the main annex. There was no resistance as she walked through the particle field and into the building.

She did her best to retrace her steps to the server room. She made sure to drop off the supplies near the door before moving towards the central cylinder. Monitors and control panels were circling the energy sphere on all sides.

Chell pursed her lips as she wondered how to go about destroying the place. She could toss the grenades around the room, but she’d run the risk of alerting everyone on base and not crippling them very well. She continued to think as her fingers lightly danced across the large control board in front of her. She didn’t even register what her hands were doing until she looked up at the screen in front of her.

Lines of code danced above her and Chell frowned at it. On reflex, she tapped on a few more keys and another window pulled up. It was a security feed of the garage. Another few taps and one of the vehicles came online, and the doors to the garage were unlocked.

She looked down at her hands in question. How did she know to do that? She didn’t question further as she let her body take control of the situation. As her fingers wrote up code after code on the control panel, Chell watched the systems on the screen come online and die. She read each line and found herself knowing what it would do once she finished. It made her smile at the prospect.

While working, she found a security feed of a room filled with headcrab shells, but it was blocked off with an energy field. She went ahead and closed that field down and let the pods open themselves up. All the headcrabs started scuttling out of their pods and into the compound. She’d have to watch herself once she left the annex.

The last few lines of code were written and all she’d have to do it release it. It would disable all door locks and energy fields in the base, cut off communication, and turn off all power. A digital suicide code. The woman in holding would be free to meet up with Chell, and they could leave in the awaiting vehicle.

Chell let a smile come to her face, but just as she reached out to confirm the code, she was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. She grunted in pain before looking up to see the single red eye looking down on her. She scrambled backward as the Elite brought his weapon up to bear. She rolled out of the way just as it fired at her. Each bullet was marked by a flash of blue and white from the barrel of the gun the Elite carried, but Chell was too busy rolling out of the way to care. Meeting one of the server towers, she fumbled with the pistol at her side as she attempted to fire off a shot. She managed to fire it twice and caught the Elite in the stomach, but it didn’t even flinch. Not even a sound! It then took a step forward and kicked a foot forward and sent the pistol in her hands flying across the room. Reaching out, Chell sat up but was met with a kick to her stomach that knocked the breath out of her and sent her sliding across the floor with the force the Elite used.

Chell felt her roll into something and her eyes opened up to see her bag. Her bag! She looked up to see the Elite stalking forward, gun up. She was in pain and that caused her to struggle to tear the zipper open. She needed to grab a weapon. Her hand clasped onto the machine-gun and she brought it up to fire, but she was too slow. The elite fired its rifle and caught Chell in the chest before she could even put a finger on the trigger.

Chell fell limp as the Elite looked down at her. In an instant, he reached down and pulled the mask off her. Her eyes were open, looking up at the ceiling unmoving.

“Threat amputated,” the Elite said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing to say this time except reviews are appreciated and if you want to talk, you can find me on my tumblr: suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com
> 
> Or you can find me on my discord: portalsandart


	16. Chapter 16

It stood silently at the door, its head swiveling to the left or right every now and then. It had to guard the door. In precisely two minutes and seventeen seconds, it would leave the door, make two laps around the building, then take up position at the door once more.

With one minute and seven seconds to go, the Elite heard a solid thump come from the far side of the armory. The sound would have been ignored or inaudible to someone without auditory enhancements, but the Elite went to action. It leveled its gun and started moving slowly around the back of the armory. It was used to working in pairs, but it was alone at that moment. It could handle anything though.

Thre... Two... One... It turned the corner and saw nothing. No one was there. It crept further behind the building and noticed that the window had scratches into the wood. It had been opened recently. They were not supposed to be open at all. An alarm should have been tripped.

A quick scan of the ground revealed scuff marks and footprints in the bare dirt. Said footprints were leading away from the armory and towards the central complex. Without hesitation, the Elite moved towards the building.

Its optic switched to contaminate view and dusty footprints appeared in stark contrast to the hard concrete floor. It followed and stalked the trail like the hunter it was designed to be. Turning a corner into the server room, it saw the threat.

It was the CP from before. It knew something was different and it was trying to destroy the compound. It kept its footsteps quiet while striding forward and grabbing the target by their padded collar. With a quick pull, the target was brought to the ground. They looked up and just as the Elite brought up its weapon. As it fired the AR2, the mark began to roll out of the way. So they could think fast? Good. It made this hunt more interesting.

They soon met one of the server towers and brought up a pistol. They fired it twice, but the Elite didn't even stop. Their pain receptors had long been suppressed. Pain is weakness. Pain is the enemy of the future.

It kicked the pistol from their hands, and as they sat up, the Elite brought the foot up and kicked the traitor hard enough to send them sliding across the room. Their body came to rest against a duffel bag. The Elite would smile if it still could as the prey struggled to pull something from the bag. A dying animal in a desperate final attack. The Elite raised its weapon again and fired. Four high powered shots fired and hit the traitor in the center of the chest.

They went limp. The Elite reached down and pulled the mask off to get a better look at the target. They stared down at the tan skin and dark hair that fell free from the confines of the helmet. So their target had infiltrated the base? It would need to report that.

“Threat amputated,” the Elite said into his com unit before turning towards the console. It examined the code before going to cancel it out. It made no show of emotion as it continued to sort out everything she did. She was clever and knew her code.

Despite its high-level hearing and several other upgrades, the Elite failed to notice the sound of shifting fabric over the beeping buttons of the console.

“Hey!” a voice cried out. It echoed around the room and caused the Elite to freeze in place.

His hand hovered over the command to shut down the terminal and all the work the anti-citizen had done. The Elite turned around to see the dead anti-citizen holding up an MP7. The weapon she had been attempting to pull from the bag. It was aimed at its head.

“I’m still alive,” she shouted before pulling the trigger.

There was the sound of static, a shrill beeping, then nothing.

Chell watched as the bullets tore through the Elites head and neck. The high pitch whine filled the air that accompanied the death of a soldier followed by speakers with that voice indicating what happened. All that was left of the Elite’s head was a mess of wires, viscera, and fabric once the clip ran out.

The body of the Elite fell to the ground, and Chell dropped the gun while taking in deep lungfuls of air. She unzipped the CP jacket and watched the disc from the companion cube fell out of her coat. She saw four large dents embedded into it. It had stopped the bullets from hitting her, but holy shit did it hurt! Chell shoved the disc back into her jacket and continued to breathe.

She looked to the dead Elite and frowned. There really was only wires and what little blood was visible had a dark color to it. It wasn’t human. Not anymore at least. She hadn’t killed a human. She wasn't a murderer.

Stumbling over to the console, Chell hit the key to send out the code, and it plunged the annex into darkness. Then the red emergency lights kicked in, and a siren started screaming. She groaned in both pain and annoyance as she half carried, half dragged the bag of supplies with her down the hall.

She was just wandering into the holding room when she saw a leg swinging towards her stomach. Chell managed to put her arms out in time to catch the leg, but there was enough force to knock her to the ground.

“Relax! It’s me. I got us a ride, but we need to move,” Chell wheezed. She held the bag up for the woman see. “You with me?”

The woman looked at her in surprise before a steely determination lit up her face. “I heard the shots. I didn’t know what to think.”

“No time to do that yet. Help me carry this,” Chell demanded.

The woman picked up one side of the bag and Chell grabbed the other. Chell then began to drag the woman in the direction of the garage. The moment they left the annex, it was a battle outside. The sirens had awoken the sleeping soldiers, but some of them had already succumbed to the loose headcrabs. It was a simple matter of running to the garage and climb into the waiting vehicle. The woman strapped herself into the passenger seat while Chell took the driver seat. Thankfully it was an automatic shift and not stick. Throwing it into drive, Chell sped forward and off into the night, no one being the wiser.

Ten minutes later, Chell unzipped the jacket and let the companion disc clatter to the floorboard. Her chest was sore and would be badly bruised, but she was alive. The shock of being shot had made her freeze. Thankfully the Elite had thought she was dead when it tore the mask off her face.

“I never asked. What’s your name?” Chell said, one hand rubbing her chest.

The woman looked to Chell, hands fidgeting in her lap. “My name’s Mel.”

Chell looked over to her in surprise before letting out a laugh. “Are you serious? My name’s Chell.”

Mel laughed and for the first time since she arrived on the surface. For the first time, she felt like everything would be alright.

 

Chell drove as fast as the vehicle would allow but not too fast as she didn’t want to risk passing anything that she might recognize. About half an hour later, she stopped the vehicle when she saw a fallen tree that was half on and half off the road. She remembered seeing it when the vortigaunts left her shortly before the Combine troops picked her up.

The vehicle was parked on the side of the road and Chell hopped out while Mel followed after. Chell kept a shotgun with her to be on the safe side. Mel didn’t grab a gun because she didn’t like the idea of handling a weapon or think she could.

She didn’t tell Chell how sore her body felt because she didn’t fully trust the girl yet, but she did seem to have some sort of plan. Although this could be another trap. Mel wanted to believe in Chell though.

The brunette led the way into the trees, trying her best to see in the darkness. She wished she had the sense to grab a flashlight from the compound. Luckily they didn’t have to travel far before Chell noticed a dim light in the distance. It looked orange in the distance, kind of like a campfire.

She was still cautious as they got closer and closer to the light, but Chell could soon make out two figures near the fire. They had hunched postures, long spindly arms, and if she listened close, she could hear gravelly voices. Mel reached out and grabbed Chell’s arm in surprise when she saw them. “What are those things?”

Chell gently pulled Mel’s hand away from her arm and smiled, “They’re safe.”

Chell lowered the shotgun and walked closer to the campsite with Mel lingering nearby. When the two women were about twenty yards from the campsite, one of the vortigaunts perked up, and Chell recognized the motion. They were smelling the air. They then turned towards the direction of the women and gave a smile, “Traveler! You have returned! And we see you have brought someone else? Come, we have sustenance!”

Chell felt herself smile and walk with ease the rest of the way to the campsite. She would see a small bundle near one of the vortigaunts. They had taken care of her portal gun and boots it seemed.

Mel stood further away from the campsite while Chell strode forward and sat down. A couple headcrabs were hanging over the fire, and she didn’t waste any time to reach out and take some. Looking back, she motioned to Mel. “Come on. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Mel took tentative steps forward until she was near the fire. She tried but failed miserably to hide the disgust on her face at what was hanging over the fire, but the emptiness in her stomach was too strong to resist. Mel took the meat that Chell offered out to her and took a tentative bite. One bite was all it took before she began to devour whatever that thing over the fire was.

Chell watched the woman eat as if her life depended on it. Considering where she’d come from, it probably did. Chell rubbed her chest while chewing on her own piece of headcrab. The jacket hung open and beneath her shirt was a large bruise from where the metal plate knocked against her chest from the force of the bullets.

“Is the Traveler injured?” Orange eye asked.

“I’ll be fine. Just a bruise is all,” Chell assured them. Looking to Mel, she inclined her head towards the woman. “What about you. Are you in any pain?”

Mel looked down at her lap and nodded her head. “Some. I can keep moving but yeah.”

“Please. Allow us to ease your suffering,” Wrinkles urged.

Mel visibly flinched at being addressed by the vortigaunts. Chell gave her a reassuring look. Chell had been skeptical too of them, but they could be trusted.

Mel slowly started to unzip her brown jumpsuit to reveal a plain white wife beater underneath. Once her shoulders could be seen, Chell knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. There were bruises across her chest and dipping down into her tank top. As she raised the hem of her tank top up, Chell saw how she winced. Her stomach had several bruises in varying states of healing, but the worst was the swelling around her ribs on the left side of her body. It was dark purple with yellow edges and looked painful. Chell couldn’t even understand how she was able to move so fast with what pain she must have been feeling.

Wrinkles closed his eyes as he placed a glowing hand against her side and let his energy flow through Mel. The woman gasped in surprise at the feeling as Chell watched the scene unfold. It was interesting to actually be able to see the process happen from an outside perspective and watch as swelling diminished and bruises faded.

When Wrinkles pulled his hand back, Mel ran a hand over where the worst of the bruising had been, and her eyes widened. It was almost comical how she looked, but Chell didn’t laugh because she probably looked much the same. As what happened to her became clear, Mel’s face softened into one of comfort and compassion. “Thank you,” she mumbled to Wrinkles.

Chell walked kept low to the ground but moved to grab the bundle on the ground. Her portal gun and boots had been wrapped gently in the bedsheet and held in perfect condition upon her return. As Chell removed the CP boots, she curled her toes in relief before slipping the long fall boots on once more. All the while, Chell noticed how Mel watched her with interest.

Once both boots were on, Chell stood up with the portal gun in her hands. “I think we should get back to the road. We are barely an hours drive from the compound, and they’ll try to find us eventually.”

“Traveler is right. The Combine will not be pleased with you escaping and shall pursue with haste,” Orange eye said before kicking dirt into the fire to extinguish it. Mel was on her feet in a flash, much quicker than Chell would have expected.

The group was silent as they closed up the small campsite and returned to the vehicle. Once inside, Chell took the driver seat once more while the vortigaunts sat in the back with Mel.

The first twenty minutes was silent until one of the vortigaunts broke it. “Traveler. We have communed with our brethren and have a destination set. There is a camp with other vortikind and humans as well. It would be best for us to travel there. This vehicle is a boon as it shall reduce the length of the journey severely.”

Chell didn’t say anything but nodded her head. A destination sounded better than aimlessly wandering and hoping for the best like she’d been doing.

“Tell us, where have you come from?”

Seemed like the vortigaunts would keep the conversation going but this time it would be with Mel. Chell wondered if they would do the same thing with Mel like they’d done with herself.

Apparently being healed by them made Mel more trusting and open.

She had been hesitant to divulge information about Aperture at first, but it became clear to Chell what happened to her. Mel was an Olympic athlete who apparently signed up for testing in 1952 and to test out a suspended animation machine. It was supposed to last a few minutes and at the most an hour, or so she’d been told. She later found out that she’d been lied to and that the test was to actually see if the suspension machines could stop the aging process. It had worked, but no one had bothered to wake her up. So those were the precursor to the relaxation vaults it seemed.

The only reason she woke up at all was thanks to a core named Virgil. Mel described the paint job on the core and briefly wondered if there were more still in Aperture with fancy chassis’. Whoever Virgil was, he sounded more competent than Wheatley. Sure, Virgil had woke her up for his own reasons at first, but those two had quickly formed a friendship that took down a security system named Aegis and prevented the facility from flooding with the toxic waste that littered the facility.

When Mel finished talking, Chell briefly looked back to her and smiled. “Thank you. Had it not been for you, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Chell couldn’t see it, but she felt that Mel was smiling back. “Survival, right? But… How’d you wake up?”

“Well, I was woken up by a core too, but…” Chell paused to try and think of how to describe Wheatley. Sure he was a moron, but he was friendly enough. At least up until the core transfer where he revealed what he was actually like. Selfish and self-serving. Yeah, he was helpful, but he was also a pain in Chell’s neck.

“The only words I can use to describe him are 'lying moron who woke up GLaDOS,'” Chell said.

That made Mel perk up. She then stumbled on moving and sitting up front with Chell. “What? How did you get out if GLaDOS was awake?”

“She let me go really. After killing her once and putting her back in power after Wheatley took over the facility, she thought it better to let me go.” Chell shrugged before chuckling.

“Killing her? Wait… are you the stubborn test subject that Virgil mentioned?”

Chell laughed at that. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”

Mel laughed once more. “I think we’ll be getting along just _fine_.”

 

Thousands of miles away, Arne Magnusson was tinkering with one of his Magnusson Devices. He wanted to be ready for another attack at any moment, but if it happened while Freeman was indisposed at the Borealis then they wouldn’t be able to do much without the Gravity Gun.

He was toying with a way to force the device to have thrusters and be able to fly to Combine energy signatures then explode remotely without the outside influence of bullets. Yes, the original device was effective, but it could be considered a prototype, and there was always room to improve on the prototype. Without Freeman around, the improvements were evident and needed.

A few minutes of tinkering later, Magnusson was disturbed by Uriah approaching. The vortigaunt was wearing his usual lab coat and carried a small tool pouch and clipboard. He placed the items on the table before addressing his friend. “Magnusson, my kin have communed with me and claimed to have found a traveler.”

“That’s nice, Uriah. Could you hand me to soldering tool?” He replied, only half listening.

The vortigaunt handed over the tool with no hassle. “They claim she was found in a Combine camp and came from the home of origin of the ship that the Freeman and the Alyx Vance seek.”

Magnusson nodded along until the reality of what Uriah was saying sunk in. He dropped his tools, and the Magnusson Device rolled off the table and away from the man. “That’s impossible, Uriah. No one could have come from there.”

“My apologies, but you have said in the past that there is room for error, yes?”

Magnusson nodded his head. “Yes. I suppose I have said such things in the past.”

“Then it should be said that there is a survivor from the place of mysteries,” Uriah smiled, not unlike Kleiner’s notorious smug smile.

Magnusson rubbed his temples, accidentally smearing oil on his face in the process. “You said ‘she’? Did they mention a name?”

“No. She has not provided them with her name. They have taken to calling her ‘ _Traveler_.’”

Magnusson sighed as he stood up from his bench seat. He wasn’t going to tell Kleiner, but he was going to see the man to see what he may have uncovered about Aperture. He’d surely find evidence of someone coming out of there eventually.

As he wandered back through the halls and into their shared lab space, Magnusson didn’t find Kleiner at his usual station. Kleiner’s desk was littered with papers, and his printer was spitting out data in a steady stream, but the man in question was instead bent over Eli’s desk. At first glance, he looked to be crying with the constant shaking of his shoulders. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d seen the man cry in the middle of the day since Eli’s passing. He was about to walk back out when Kleiner let out a cry of pain and stuck a finger in his mouth to ease whatever he had done.

So the man was working on another project? What was the new project that made him use Eli’s desk in place of his own?

“Oh, hello Magnusson. Do you need something?”

Arne shook his head at the man. “No. Just came to grab a few things.” Like _hell_ he’d actually admit that he wanted to check on the man’s side project to his face. “What’s that you are working on?”

Kleiner had a smile on his face as he picked up what looked like a Kevlar vest, but upon closer inspection, Magnusson realized what it was. The small wires feeding out near the neck, the wide green harness straps across the shoulders, the cross-body strap and a small electronic box fixed to the side of it. It was a blast from the past to Arne although the last time he’d seen one had not been pleasant.

“Is that- “

“A _Powered Combat Vest_? Why yes, it is,” Kleiner said with that smile.

“How did you get it?”

“That’s the thing. I found it in my stuff that I left here in storage last time I had to spend time here,” he explained while placing back down on the table.

“What are you doing with it?”

“I thought Barney might get good use out of it, so I’ve been attempting to modify it to be powered by Combine Energy Outlets, much like Gordon’s HEV suit,” Kleiner explained.

Made sense. Black Mesa had designed the PCV for military use after they had designed the HEV suits. Such a shame their very inventions were used against them during the Black Mesa incident.

“How’d you even get that thing, Kleiner? I didn’t even know there were any of them left in the world.”

Kleiner had started tinkering with the internal controls of the vest again but paused at Magnusson’s comment. He gave a thoughtful look to the vest before turning to the other man. “You know… I actually have no idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Chell survives! Yay!! I get that a lot happened in this chapter but I had to do some rearranging in other chapters. I was thinking of putting an Adrian POV for this update but thought it might be mean to have you guys wait much longer on the fate of Chell.
> 
> For those that read the comments, I did say she took some rounds to the 'heart' so you can't call me a liar!
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated and if you want to chat, you can reach me at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or find me on Discord as portalsandart


	17. Chapter 17

_“From this moment on, you are Marines! But you are more than that! I am proud to call you men my family! We are brothers in arms! The man to your left and to your right is your brother! You will protect your brothers in everything you do!” Drill Sargent Barnes yelled over the graduating class. “You will not lie! You will not cheat! You will not let your brothers come to harm! Honor! Courage! Commitment! Those are the core fundamentals of a United States Marine!"_

_Adrian stood at parade rest and took in the words of DS Barnes. He was a hard-ass but dammit he admired the man. He could hold a crowd like a candle carried a flame._

_"When debate falls, and compromise is unattainable, you men will be the ones to carry the sword and defend your family against those who would do you harm. It is because of this that you will discover the truth about the world. You will not have to rely on the so-called 'experts' to give you information because you will see it for yourself._

_"That is why we challenged you! You men needed to be pushed harder than ever just so you would be ready for when the truth of the world came down on you! From this moment, you will have to make life or death decisions faster than you can blink or risk annihilation!_

_"Before I close here today, I have some final advice... Draw your energy from your family. The ones who raised you and the family you have made at here at basic. They will continue to support you. I would also ask that you stay selfless! Don't throw yourself down and give up but fight hand in hand so that you can share the glory of a victory well received._

_"Never apologize for who you are. There will be men who look down on you, spit at you, or even call you a murderer, but they are not worth your time! I helped train you men to eat danger and crap victory, and that is what I hope to see from you. Be proud of who you are!_

_"Finally, stand tall and proud! Keep your weapons clean and blades sharp. Never panic, or you have already lost. Watch out for each other. Always be vigilant and on the lookout for trouble. You are a marine!_

_“You men are the best, and I expect you to continue to be the best you can be! Honor! Courage! Commitment! You must rely on your skills and those around you to continue being the best. I expect you to live your life with integrity and honor in all walks of life!"_

_Integrity and honor… Adrian felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. That was why he became a Marine. He wanted to keep people safe and make something of himself. His father had raised him to have a set of honor and to uphold it in his life. ‘If a man doesn’t have honor, then he isn’t a man at all, Adrian,’ is what he would say growing up. Adrian’s father hadn’t been in the military and had been surprised when Adrian enrolled, but he’d still been proud to hear of why he’d decided to join. Adrian didn’t hold any false ideals of the military that he knew, but he’d still do what he could to protect his home._

_“And with that, I am proud to call you Marines!” DS Barnes yelled out while bringing an arm up to salute. The entire graduating class followed his movements. “With great honor, I pronounce you soldiers of the United States Marine Corps! OORAH!”_

_As one thunderous voice, Adrian and his brothers replied, "OORAH!"_

_A couple years later he would go back to boot camp under the command of DS Barnes and be promoted to Corporal within the Hazardous Environment and Combat Unit. A few months later, he was approached about joining the advanced training regimen. Only two weeks later he was somehow bumped to the top of the recruitment and training list. Less than a year later, he would find his entire life turning upside down, and all sense of the code he kept for himself would be questioned. He would discover the truth._

 

Adrian hummed in delight as the medic placed a rag soaked in some strange greed liquid against his back. Apparently, he had acquired quite a few cuts and scrapes from his fall, but luckily nothing was broken. As the rag was dragged across his skin, all the pain faded and was replaced by a cooling sensation. It reminded him of something from his past

_“As you can see, you are not dead!”_

Adrian shook his head at the memory. That felt like a lifetime ago.

The rag was removed and soon replaced by strips of gauze being applied with tape to various places on his back. “There we are. The large one on your shoulder blade might be tender for the next couple of days, but at least you won’t have to worry about bleeding through all your shirts,” the medic explained.

She was a short girl in her thirties with short cropped brown hair and brown eyes. Her hands were calloused from years of work but were gentle with applying the bandages. She patted Adrian’s back with a smile, and he took that as his cue to stand up.

“Nice tattoo.”

“I’m sorry?” Adrian replied.

"I said nice tattoo. I haven’t seen one like that before,” she smirked before going to a nearby sink to wash her hands again.

Adrian rubbed his shoulder and sighed. There was a nearby mirror that he strode over to and got a better look at the permanent memory.

 _“Come on, Adrian! Out of everything you could get, you’re gonna be a fuckin’ boy scout over this?”_  
_“Fuck you, Briggs! It’s bad enough you’re dragging me here tonight.”_  
_“Well, it ain’t every day you make corporal, shit for brains.”  
_ _“Yeah, yeah… whatever, man. Let’s get inked.”_

 Adrian looked at the eagle with its wings folded inwards as if in flight while it clutched the earth in its talons. An anchor, mostly obscured by the Earth, was positioned in the background and had a length of rope wound around it. All the while, a banner fluttered from the beak of the eagle and rippled as if caught in the wind. The words ‘Semper Fidelis’ were written into the banner.

He shook his head before shrugging his shirt back on.

Walking out of the med bay, Adrian found Barney leaning on the opposite wall with his arms crossed.

“Alright. I’ve been patched up, and I’ve been poked and prodded with all the tests they could do. Are you satisfied now?”

Barney smiled and nodded. “Just had to be sure you checked out. Can never be too careful nowadays.”

“So you going to give me some answers now?”

Barney nodded his head and crooked a finger to indicate that Adrian should follow. He followed Barney down several flights of stairs and long hallways. Apparently, the base they were in was a lot bigger than he initially guessed. When they finally stopped, Barney pulled open a large metal door and ushered Adrian inside. The interior was well lit but empty. The ceiling was incredibly high in the round chamber as well.

“Why did you take me to a missile silo?”

Barney crossed his arms, and his expression turned serious, “Because it’s quiet, unused, and I don’t trust you. Now talk.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I went through all your damn tests in the med bay and yet you still don’t trust me? Why?”

“Because of what your people did at Black Mesa!”

Adrian froze at that. “You were-“

“Yeah. I was there. I was a security guard. Just doing my job when you and the other HECU assholes decided to start killing everyone instead of helping us,” Barney fumed.

Adrian shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but Barney cut him off.

“Don’t speak! You assholes tried to kill everyone! You didn’t even try to-“

“You don’t know shit!” Adrian yelled back and firmly shoved Barney in his chest.

Barney stumbled back and caught himself on the wall of the silo. Adrian didn’t move away, but he didn’t move towards Barney either. “You don’t know anything about me! I didn’t do any of that! I did my best to try and save every single person I could find!”

“Guess your buddies didn’t get the memo? Because from what I discovered, silencing the entire facility was your mission?”

Adrian made a noise of disgust as he strode towards Barney, “For your information, I never received my fucking orders! My osprey went down before I even got them.”

“Ain’t that real convenient,” Barney scoffed, arms crossed over his chest.

'Men will spit on your and call you murderers...'

Adrian kept the sneer on his face as he stared Barney down. He had no right in what he was saying! Adrian had to stay proud because he knew the truth! He didn't need approval, but that didn't stop him from fighting back.

“What do you want from me? Between the damned aliens and that government spook that kidnapped me, I haven’t got a clue what is going on anymore!”

As if a switch was flipped, Barney’s entire demeanor relaxed, and a relieved sigh broke the tension that had built between them. “So you met him too?”

Adrian froze mid-step when those words left Barney’s lips. “What?”

Barney moved to sit on some nearby crates and pointed to the one across from him, “Take a seat. Time for me to fill you in on what you’ve missed.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Without a word, Adrian went and sat down across from Barney.

Barney had a colorful way of explaining everything. He’d go into deep detail on arbitrary things but almost wholly gloss over large parts of history. Adrian had so many questions, but he found each one was getting answered before he could ask. Barney had started from the bomb going off at Black Mesa then skipped over several months in time to when the Combine first appeared and all the military force of their synthetic soldiers, commonly called synths. Adrian figured out Combine came from how they seemed to combine creatures and technology into monstrous amalgamations.

The next fifteen years of history could be summed up in three short sentences. The rebellion was formed. They would fight back. The Combine was stronger.

All through his story, Barney kept referencing someone named Gordon. The way he spoke about the guy made it sound like they were close or that he was a well-known guy who Adrian should already know. When it came to questions, knowing who the Gordon guy was, became the most prominent. It was apparently with his help that they managed to beat back the Combine over the last couple of weeks with much success.

“-and then Gordon and Alyx left to take out the Borealis to stop the Combine and as a last wish for Eli,” Barney concluded and bent forward to rest his elbows on his knees. There was a tenseness to his shoulders as he got close to the end of the history lesson, but Adrian felt it wasn’t his place to intrude.

Adrian shifted uncomfortably in his seat and sighed, “Damn.”

“Yeah,” Barney sighed in turn. The silence stretched out for several minutes. “Look. I don’t know if I still trust you a hundred percent, but don’t you guys have some sort of code?”

Adrian felt a grimace form. “Yeah, but don’t get how good that is now.”

Adrian had seen what some of his fellow Marines did at Black Mesa. How could they forget all that they pledged to do? They were supposed to protect people from enemies, not mow down helpless scientists and confused security guards. Then the damn black ops teams moved in and tried to silence the marines as well as the scientists. The worst part of all had been the situation with Waters. He’d been surrounded by the exact people he’d been trained to not become. Mindless drones who followed all orders given to them.

“Alright. Here’s how it’s gonna be, Thunderdome,” Barney started. “Consider yourself on a trial phase. You gonna stick with me and follow my lead. Keep the fact that you’re HECU to yourself. There are a few people around here that wouldn’t take kindly to that, but I think you could still do some good around here. So how about it? Either stick with me and help out, or we send you packing.”

Either stay and live or get sent out to the wilderness to die?

“You’re not giving me much of a choice here.”

“That’s the point. So, what’s it gonna be,” Barney asked while crossing his arms.

Adrian glared at Barney for several seconds before giving in and shrugging his shoulders. “Alright.”

“Good. Now, do you have any questions?”

Adrian nodded his head. “Yeah. Who’s Gordon?”

At the mention of the name, Barney’s eyes widened a little before he burst out laughing. “Oh right. I guess I never touched on who he is. Well-“

He didn’t get to finish as someone came rushing into the silo with a panicked expression on their face. “Calhoun! We’ve been looking all over for you. We have word on Freeman!”

“Really?” Barney said while standing to his feet in a rush. He then looked back to Adrian. “Let’s get a move on rookie. We can finish this talk later.”

Adrian nodded and started to follow behind Barney, although he couldn’t stop thinking back to Black Mesa after hearing one word. Freeman.

‘Forget about Freeman!’

‘Maybe we’ll get a shot at this Freeman guy…’

‘You must hurry, Freeman!’

Adrian had flashes of memory and color dance across his vision. Cramped vents. Glowing balls of green light. A blue suit. A black void. All of it happened in seconds as his breathing picked up yet, he still followed after Barney.

  

“That blizzard came out of nowhere. Me and Gordon were forced to take shelter for the last couple days, and it prevented us from getting any communications out to you,” Alyx said into the com station she had rigged up. “If we are lucky, the Combine will have needed to hunker down until it passed as well."

"Have you found Dr. Mossman?"

"Not yet, but we know she was here."

Everything she said was right. They had made progress after their helicopter was shot down, but had been forced to seek shelter after a freak blizzard rolled in and turned visibility for miles around to zero. It had been pure luck that they managed to reach an old weather outpost station before it hit. The station had been converted to a combine outpost, but it had easily been cleared by through the dedicated teamwork of Alyx and Gordon.

While there, they had found a large hole blown into the side of the building and a smashed console with a camera. It had taken a look down the hallway for Gordon and Alyx to realize it was the location Judith had been filming herself from before they had been discovered.

In the days they had been stuck in the station, they had found several valuable supplies. Gordon found a stash of Combine batteries and a couple Energy Stations. He used one of the stations to charge up his suit and saved the battery cells for a later date. Along with the energy for his suit, Gordon found some med-kits and actual canned food instead of the ration packs, but the best thing of all was a jeep. It was a Combine styled jeep, but it was designed for traveling across the snow. Gordon had found it inside a garage for repairs, but he and Alyx had managed to fix what was wrong with it. Mostly Alyx. He had stood back and handed her tools when she asked for them, but half the time he would give her the wrong one. He wasn’t a mechanic or an engineer! He was a scientist! A theoretical physicist! Or at least he thought he was.

Gordon looked down at the crowbar in his hand and the suit he was wearing. The suit had several scuffs and dents from all the bullets and falls he’d suffered since arriving at City 17. He flexed his fingers and felt how the electrically charged rubber around his entire body moved with ease. The suit truly was a marvel of scientific advancement for protective systems, but it was also a huge curse. Despite keeping him alive, Gordon was scared to remove it.

 _‘Minor fracture detected.'_  
_'Major fracture detected.'_  
_'Blood loss detected.’_  
_‘Vital signs are dropping.’_  
_‘Morphine administered.’  
_ _‘Have a very safe day!’_

Thinking about it nearly made Gordon laugh. Had it not been for the needles injected into his spine and his wrists, he wouldn’t even be able to stand on his own feet. The day he took the suit off, he would need a bed to fall on. The moment those needles left his skin would be the moment all the pain he was most likely supposed be feeling would hit.

His crowbar wasn’t pretty either. It was stained with blood, both yellow and red, and became his best friend and worst enemy.

The suit and crowbar. His most notable features. The symbols of freedom and the ‘ _The One Free Man_.’ He hated it.

Gordon never wanted any of it. He had only been doing his job that day at Black Mesa. There were so many people involved yet he was labeled as one of the most prominent, if not the most significant cause of the Incident. He’d only been trying to survive and help as many people as he could. He never wanted to be a hero. So many people had been counting on him to do it at Black Mesa, but no one ever asked if he wanted to do what they asked. Then the day he arrived in City 17, it had been the same thing. People ordering him where to go and what to do, but they all looked at him in awe and wonder. Some thought him as a messiah. Gordon did what he had to do. Saving Eli had been a mixture of both, but no one ever bothered to ask him his opinion. They didn’t dare ask him what he wanted.

 _‘_ _Rather than offer you the illusion of free choice, I will take the liberty of choosing for you..._ _’_

He grit his teeth at the memory.  _His_ fault. All of it had been _His_ fault somehow, and Gordon was paying the price. He caused Black Mesa, and that led to what they were doing at the moment. If it hadn’t been for Him, Eli would be alive. The world would be alive instead of the shell of what it used to be. Gordon could be back at Black Mesa in another test chamber, listening to Magnusson and Kleiner argue, sharing a beer with Barney, or babysitting Alyx while her parents had a night out. All that gone. So many people. So many lives crushed. So many broken hearts.

He had no choice but to keep going. He couldn’t stop. If he stopped, then more people would die. He had relaxed after the rocket launch, and that led to disaster. He should have known something was wrong with how Dog reacted before running off to somewhere unknown. He’d known they were close and tried his best to fight them, but he came too late. Gordon’s muscles tensed in barely contained fury at the memory of what the Advisors did to his friend.

He walked into what used to be the living quarters and sat on the bed he’d chosen for himself. His muscles were still tense and his hands were shaking. He couldn’t keep going like this. Gordon’s eyes were fixed on a poster on the opposite wall. It was a picture of Dr. Breen in a three-quarter pose smiling serenely with a dove flying above his head. There was a sun shining on a distant horizon behind Breen, but Gordon couldn’t tell if it was a sunrise or sunset. Breen would probably have said it was a sunrise on a new beginning for humanity, while someone else may say it was a sunset on the end of human race. The signature combine claw holding tight to circle sat in the bottom right corner. He figured out that circle represented the planet Earth in the ‘loving embrace’ of the Combine pretty fast.

Unable to take it anymore, Gordon strode forward with Crowbar raised and began to swing it into the poster. It made a small tear, but he didn’t stop. Gordon continued to swing the crowbar into the poster until it was on the ground in shreds, but even then, he didn’t stop beating the wall. Chips of concrete went flying and hit his face, but none went into his eyes thanks to his glasses, but even then he was fine as his eyes were screwed shut. He had to keep going. It was the only thing he could focus on.

“Gordon?”

Gordon stopped swinging the crowbar to look back at the doorway. Alyx stood there with a hand on the doorframe and grease smudged on her cheek. She must have come to find him.

Looking back to the wall, Gordon realized he’d made a sizeable hole in the wall. Chunks of concrete, dust, and paper littered the floor at his feet and his breathing was hard. His muscles ached. How long had he been doing that?

“Morphine administered,” the suit said into his ear. That answered one question as the pain in his limbs faded.

“Gordon?” Alyx repeated.

He looked up at her again as if just noticing she was there. With a frown, he nodded at her.

She rubbed at her cheek, attempting to wipe off the grease but only smearing it further. “Just letting you know that the jeep is almost finished. We can leave soon. I need you to gather our supplies and load them up. If you want that is.”

Another command, but at least Alyx had the frame of mind to make it seem like he had a choice. He nodded his head and followed after her.

The jeep itself wasn’t actually a jeep. Its body resembled a large truck that had been stretched out and the bed covered with reinforced metal. Thick rubber treads sat in the place where tires would go. It was painted a bright orange like Gordon’s suit for visibility in the snow. That could cause a problem once they got back on track, but Gordon silently hoped for an uneventful drive.

He tossed their bags into the backseat. Two duffels that were filled with medical supplies, weapons, food, and several changes of warm clothes. He placed Alyx’s heavy green coat in the passenger seat before grabbing his protective hoodie. Kleiner had called it something else, but it reminded Gordon of an oversized hooded sweatshirt although much heavier. It was thick and had a port to connect itself to the HEV suit but was designed to prevent the frigid north from sapping his suit power. The attached hood had an additional benefit of containing a flap that could be pulled down to protect his face from the wind and cold.

Along with the flap, there were built in goggles that would fit over his glasses with comfort and prevent his eyesight from deteriorating further from the harsh light bouncing off the snow. The biggest comfort to him was that it wasn’t bright orange like his suit but a charcoal grey. The only splash of color on the gear was an orange lambda symbol on his shoulders and the orange color of the goggles.

Once the supplies were loaded up, he set to attach a thigh holster to his leg and slipped a magnum to rest in it, a shotgun with a shoulder strap was slung over his shoulder, and his crowbar remained in his hand. After getting set up for the road, Gordon climbed into the cab just as Alex was slipping her coat on.

“Couldn’t get the heat working, but we shouldn’t be in here long,” she said while slipping some thick gloves on and then a pair of mittens on over those. She had far more layers than Gordon, and yet she was still cold. Two pairs of pants, two shirts, her Black Mesa hoodie, her father’s vest, and a thick green jacket with a fur-lined hood were still not enough to keep out the chill. At least inside the cab, there wouldn’t be the biting wind to worry about.

Gordon frowned but nodded nonetheless. He didn’t like that she was cold, but hopefully they would reach the Borealis soon.

With a mighty growl, the engine came to life. While Gordon put it in gear, Alyx pushed a button on the console that lifted the massive garage door in front of them up. Snow had piled high against the door, but Gordon drove forward, pushing through it until they were once more outside and rolling with ease.

The ride was silent for the first hour. Alyx had her eyes set on the horizon for any sign of trouble. The only sort of excitement they had was when a Gargantua had burst from a snow bank. It had chased after them for a short time, but soon gave up when it realized they were moving faster through the snow than it could. Gordon had been surprised to see it as he hadn’t seen any since Black Mesa. He thought they must have been all wiped out, but apparently, he was just lucky.

The second hour into the trip, Alyx broke the silence. “Did you know my mom?"

The question caught Gordon by surprise. He looked over to her with a quizzical expression and noticed how her brows were knitted together, and mouth was tense. Gordon knew she was still taking Eli’s death pretty hard and had not allowed herself any time to come to terms with it.

“Sorry. I know its sudden and sorta random but… The only two people who have met her were Dr. Kleiner and Magnusson… but-“

Alyx stopped herself. Her mouth screwed up and she shook her head as if she didn’t know where she had been going with that sentence.

“Never mind. Forget I said anything,” she sighed and looked back out the window.

Gordon returned his sight to straight ahead. Not that he had to worry about crashing or losing track of where he was. Everything looked exactly the same in the vast expanse of white and gray, but Alyx had the coordinates, a map, and an old-fashioned compass for backup purposes.

Another half hour passed until Alyx spoke again. “We should be getting close.”

Gordon nodded once more and continued to drive. They only made it another couple hundred yards when an almighty crack broke through the air. It was loud enough to be heard over the sound of the motor, but at the same time, the sound made Gordon turn off their vehicle.

“What’s going on? Why’d you stop?”

Gordon put a finger to his lips while looking out over the expanse in front of them. Nothing. Then something all at once. The ground around them rocked violently, causing Gordon to be thrown hard into the steering wheel. Alyx had managed to throw her hands up and catch herself on the dash to prevent her head from colliding with anything.

Gordon rubbed his forehead where it hit the top of the steering wheel before looking to Alyx. She was already standing up and had half her body out the window. As she did that, Gordon saw the problem. A giant crack in the ice was forming around their vehicle.

He attempted to start the snow-cat again, but the engine sputtered.

“What’s the holdup, Gordon? We have to move!” Alyx called out over another loud crack, and the vehicle bounced again.

The engine continued to sputter with each twist of the key.

‘ _Come on!_ ’ Gordon thought to himself.

Another violent shake and a crevasse opened up behind the Cat, and the entire shelf was tilting upwards. The new angle was causing the Cat to slide along the snow towards the cavernous maw of the frigid North.

“Gordon!”

With one final crank, the Snow-Cat came to life and trundled up the ice. It was slow moving, and the Cat didn’t have the best speed, but they were hopeful. They were so close!

They were just about to reach the safety of flat land again when another loud crack filled the air. The shelf they had been climbing broke free, and an ice wall appeared in front of them that was higher than the treads could reach.

“Damn it!” Alyx yelled before climbing out of her window and onto the roof of the cat. With as much grace as she had always exhibited, she launched herself from the roof and onto the flat ground.

“Gordon! Come on!”

He wasn’t as lithe as her, and he had the sense to grab onto two of the supply bags he’d packed earlier in the day.  He opened the door and struggled to clamber on top of the cat, legs kicking wildly as he pulled himself up.

“Hurry, Gordon!”

The cracking of ice was deafening in the air, but he eventually managed to get up on the roof. With a might sling, he tossed one bag and then the other, then his crowbar. He then got down and readied himself to jump. Just as he started forward to run, the ice shelf fell away completely, leaping through the momentary abyss as his stomach collided painfully into the ice.

His legs hung down in the deep and unable to get a grip on the slick sides of the ice. It wasn’t working, and he was sliding down. Gordon’s gloved hands scraped at the snow, unable to find purchase.

Then something was shoved into his line of, and he grabbed onto it like a lifeline. Looking up, he saw Alyx holding one end of his crowbar and tugging with all her might. She wasn’t the strongest in the world, but she did keep him from sliding further down into the crevasse.

“Gordon, climb!” Alyx grunted with exertion.

 The problem was that Gordon couldn’t climb. His boots weren’t designed for walking on ice, but that didn’t stop him from trying something else. He began to swing one of his legs up to try and catch the edge, but it was an awkward angle. His muscles were nearing his limit, and if he didn’t climb up, then he’d risk pulling Alyx in with him. He tried again. Then again. Then finally on the fourth attempt, he managed to get the toes of his right boot up on the ledge. With that, he was able to scramble up and he rolled several times away from the edge, breathing hard.

As he laid there in the snow, Alyx appeared and looked down at him from his left side. The sight was so much like their first meeting that he had to smile.

“You okay?” Alyx asked.

Gordon nodded again and slowly sat up. The initial shock wore off, and his entire body began to shake. He recognized the symptoms of shock, but that didn’t make him feel any better. That was probably the closest he’d come to death from natural causes. Almost a relief over the whizzing bullets, explosions, or giant vats of toxic waste he’d been met with as of late.

The shakes started to wear off as the suit pumped more drugs into his system to keep him going. Once he only had a faint tremor in his hands did he stand to his feet.

He inched his way over to the edge of the shelf and looked down at the crevasse that formed. The snow-cat was wedged between the two walls about a hundred feet below, but he could see where it was getting loose. Another second, the groan of metal and the cracking of ice sent the vehicle bouncing and tumbling far below and out of sight in the deep blue depths.

Turning back to Alyx, she handed him the crowbar before picking up one of the bags. Gordon picked up the other, and they fell into pace next to each other, walking in the direction of their quarry.

They did their best to not think of the incident, but every sound, every crunch of snow sent them on the edge of another crevasse possibly opening up around them.

An hour later, Alyx was visibly shivering, but they couldn’t stop moving yet. Suddenly a plume of snow was sent skyward, and the duo dropped to the ground in response to what could be happening.

Gordon looked to Alyx and nodded before they started crawling in the snow to where the snow had been sent skyward, and they soon came to another icy cliff. Although this one had much more going on with it.

The plume had come from a large amount of snow falling off the edge of another ice shelf and causing a cascade of ice to drift off into the wind. They had been lucky that had happened because only a mere fifty feet below, stuck half in and out of the icy cliff and supported by Combine supports was the Borealis.

They made it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. We finally get to see what Gordon and Alyx have been up to, and what makes Adrian tick.
> 
> I actually have drawn out the poster that Gordon pummels to pieces and posted it to my tumblr. If you want to see it, just follow the link below.
> 
> http://suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com/post/180906441751/this-is-for-an-upcoming-scene-in-my-fanfic-second
> 
> As for Adrian's tattoo, I used the link below as a reference.
> 
> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/31/01/bf/3101bf721dde2a93eb7a861aee9aa42d.jpg
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated and if you want to chat, you can find me on tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com
> 
> or you can find me on discord as portalsandart


	18. Chapter 18

While they drove, Chell learned a lot about Mel. She had already found out she was an Olympic track athlete, but she hadn’t found out Mel was a bronze medalist. Mel had grown up working on a farm and had been the fastest runner among all the workers and her brothers. On an errand for her parents, the track coach at her school had seen her and wanted her to try out for the team. From that moment on she had been on track for her Olympic career.

Mel had a warm personality, and Chell found herself enjoying the woman’s company. Although she wouldn’t deny that she was jealous of Mel. She could remember her past while Chell was struggling to find any semblance of who she used to be. She hall all these clues and pieced but no idea how to put them together and get a picture. Pieces of a long-ago conversation, knowledge of coding, she could read binary, and she knew how to load a gun with surprising ease. What had she done before everything?

But Mel… How did she remember her past where Chell couldn’t? What had happened to make her forget? Chell’s biggest theory had been the relaxation pods and vaults, but Mel ripped that theory to shreds with how much detail she could provide about her past.

“Chell?”

Chell shook her head and focused back on the road. The sudden movement caused her to jerk the steering wheel but not enough to send them off course. “Yeah?”

“I asked you about yourself. What did you do before Aperture?”

Chell shook her head, “Wish I knew, Mel. I can’t remember.”

“Oh. Sorry,” Mel frowned and looked straight ahead.

“I’m used to it,” Chell shrugged.

A few minutes later, Chell pulled over and turned to Mel. “Can you drive? I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours.”

Mel nodded in agreement. Chell unstrapped herself from the seat before climbing into the back and sitting in the floor, using a spare CP jacket as a pillow. The vortigaunts sat in the chairs, and they gave her a passing look as she got herself ready. Her head rested back against one of the empty seats, her eyes closing, and she was out within moments.

It’s a shame only twenty minutes later that her sleep was interrupted by a thunderous explosion that caused the APC to veer off course. Mel managed to keep it on the road, but it was difficult when another explosion caused her to jerk the wheel once more.

Chell struggled to stand from her spot and looked around wildly, all traces of exhaustion leading into a panic. “What’s happening?”

“They found us!” Mell yelled while jerking the wheel to the right.

Another explosion sounded, but this one wasn’t as bad on the vehicle.

Chell staggered to the glass dome in the center of the APC and looked out toward the back to see a second APC in pursuit. She watched as a stream of white smoke came out of the vehicle and something was spiraling towards their location. It slammed into the ground right behind them and caused the back two wheels to go up into the air and slam back hard on the ground.

Chell braced herself against the dome and heard the vortigaunts grunt in pain from the violent shake. Gritting her teeth, she looked around the inside for anything that could be of use. If the APC behind them had a canon, then… ah-ha! Finding a switch near the rim of the dome, Chell slammed her hand down on it. There was a hiss of steam before a lever covered in buttons and switched lowered from inside the roof of the APC and into Chell’s hands. Along with the lever, the interior of the dome darkened and the surroundings took on different colors as they passed, mostly blue and greens. Although the second APC was covered in more red and yellows. Heat signatures! The handle that deployed was actually a control lever!

But a control lever for what?

Another explosion sounded, and Chell had to stabilize herself by grabbing hold of the control lever. Doing so caused the interior of the dome to go crazy in how it viewed the outside world but that steadied once Chell managed to right herself.

“Sorry!” Mel yelled.

“We are worried about the integrity of our vehicle!” One of the vortigaunts yelled.

Chell grit her teeth and pulled back on the large central switch on the lever. Two rockets flew out of their APC and soared towards the pursuers. The enemy was able to evade them, but they were forced to swerve to get back on track as the explosions rocked their vehicle.

 _‘Everyone likes revenge, indeed_ ,’ Chell thought.

Wasting no time, Chell fired another rocket, but the Combine were able to evade it as well. The attackers launched another rocket that caused Chell's group to nearly spin out. They couldn’t take much more battering.

“Little help would be great, Chell!”

“Working on it!”

Chell looked at the other buttons on the lever and flicked on them. The dome suddenly changed and made everything dark blue and everything passing by look black. Another flick and everything looked blue but made any passing bird or animal show up in bright yellow. Chell grit her teeth in anger as she tried once more. The dome cleared and she thought she had accidentally turned it off until she noticed the grid lines and a solid red dot.

She didn’t understand what it was before she fired another rocket. This one didn’t curve through the air to attack the heat source of the second APC but instead traveled a straight line past the vehicle. A sudden jerk caused Chell to yank on the lever, and the red dot shifted. As the dot moved so did the rocket she had fired. It exploded into a mass of trees, causing leaves and branches to scatter everywhere.

‘ _Oh, it’s a laser guidance system_ ,’ Chell thought with a wicked grin.

She took charge of the lever once more and used it to lock the red dot onto the APC. The smile on her face widened as she fired. That smile fell the moment they launched their own rocket as both collided midair in a fiery explosion that left her blind for a few moments.

A flare of anger hit Chell as she looked around. She didn’t know how many more rockets she had and didn’t want to risk losing them. It didn’t escape her mind that the other vehicle was firing them less than before.

Looking out the front of the dome, Chell saw they were approaching a tunnel. It would be cramped inside and very difficult to move out of the way of a rocket. If they tried, they would inevitably crash into a wall.

That’s when she saw it. Right near the mouth of the tunnel was a group of tall pine trees, all thick as oil barrels. They were on an embankment that led down towards the road so they would fall in front of the tunnel if the dropped. Chell sighed as she decided on the course of action. She’d have one chance.

Mel sped towards the tunnel, Chell trained the laser on the trees, and the vortigaunts braced themselves. With a definite sigh, Chell fired the rockets. Two rockets fired out and traveled in an arc before finding the target that Chell had picked out. They crisscrossed in the air before landing with a shower of fire, dirt, and bark at the base of the trees.

It took several agonizing moments, but they tilted down towards the road and soon began falling faster and faster. Three large pine trees threatening to block the tunnel if they didn’t get to it first.

“Go, Mel!”

Mel was already going as fast as the vehicle would allow. It was a lot different than her father’s old pickup truck, but she had adapted pretty well after having watched Chell behind the wheel. She didn’t look at the trees but only focused on the darkness of the tunnel to provide them with safety.

The vortigaunts were clutching onto the seats with all their might. They didn’t like being enclosed in such a space with so many bumps in the road. They wished to be of service, but they would only be a hindrance in the given circumstances.

Chell could hear the creaking of wood over the sound of the engine. It was close, and so was the tunnel. Looking forward in the dome, Chell saw the branches of the first pine tree brushing the ground, but Mel didn’t stop. She pushed through them, barely missing the trunk of the tree by inches.

Mel let out a victorious screech as Chell looked back to their pursuers. They had crashed into the first pine tree, and she could barely see the second come tumbling down directly on top of their APC. She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading out as she lowered herself from the dome.

As they made it to the other side of the tunnel, it was like reaching the promised land. Yes, they were still being pursued, but they had blocked the tunnel, and any other roads could take a lot longer to reach them. They were safe for the time being.

 

An hour later, Chell had done some digging into the interior of the armored personnel carrier and discovered there was a source code assigned to each vehicle. The code allowed locations of any and all Combine transports to be monitored from a relay station. She did her best to scrub the vehicle’s system of that code and ripped out a portion of machinery she believed to be behind the tracker. It was tossed out a window and into a ditch.

Chell tried not to question how she figured out the code, but it was a losing battle. Just what was she supposed to think of herself if she was able to figure out something like that? She couldn’t keep moving forward if she struggled to get over the past she couldn’t remember.

At one point the APC had powered down, but a quick check of everything showed it was out of power. The vortigaunts gladly offered up their skills to charge the vehicle back up and get back on the road.

The group had stayed inside the APC to camp for the night. The inside was warm, and although it was cramped, it provided shelter that the open air lacked. It had been a good thing too because when the group awoke the next morning, there was a group of strange two-legged creatures with spots like a leopard and tentacles fanning their mouths. Starting the APC startled the animals into charging their vehicle and spitting green slime. The slime was revealed to be acidic, but it didn't do much other than peal some paint off the APC. The vortigaunts informed the humans that they were known as ‘bullsquids.’

Two hours later, the group approached a bridge but were forced to turn around and find an alternate path when it was revealed to be destroyed. Chell didn’t know how well the vehicle would perform off-road, but there was no time to try like the present. Seeing a hill with a smooth enough path for a vehicle, Chell eased off the road and further down the trail.

The APC handled surprisingly well off the road. It must have been built for any possible terrain as the occupants could hardly tell they weren’t on a smooth surface with how steady the cabin was being. Eventually, the slope turned into an actual road once they reached the bottom. Chell hadn’t even noticed the road at the top of the hill as it was hidden by the trees, but she was thankful for it nonetheless.

“The Traveler will wish to turn right,” one of the vortigaunts said.

Chell did that and looked back to Mel. She was dozing in the back while wearing the second CP jacket. She had donned it to sleep in the previous night as it was comfortable to her. Chell smiled before taking her focus back on the road.

She looked back just in time as a large tree was down in front of the APC that caused Chell to slam on the brakes. The vehicle slid due to the leaves covering the road and didn’t provide any grip on the dirt. By some miracle, she got the APC stopped before they could crash into the blockade.

Mel groaned from being rudely awakened and wiped a bit of drool from her chin. "Wha- Why'd we stop?"

“Looks like we will have to go by foot from here,” Chell groaned while unbuckling herself from the driver seat.

Mel continued to rub the sleep from her eyes but nodded anyway at Chell.

As they gathered up the supplies, a deafening crack filled the air followed by a metallic ping at the same time. All four occupants froze in place at the telltale sound of a gun being fired at them.

Chell was back in the driver seat once more, ready to throw it into reverse at a moments notice. She was happy for the thick glass and that no one could see her moving.

Throwing the APC in reverse, she only got a few feet before the back of the vehicle was hit with a spray of bullets.

“Don’t move!” A voice rang out through the forest.

Looking forward, Chell saw who had spoken. Standing on the fallen tree like some sort of action hero was a figure in blue denim, charcoal gray vest, and a lambda armband. A moment later two more joined the first. Mel poked her head out of the dome and saw several more people surrounding the back of the vehicle. Despite the guns and the threatening posture of the people, Mel couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face. Chell only felt weariness of what the people may hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the girls run into some rebels and narrowly avoid being destroyed by rockets... 
> 
> Sorry about the delay in this chapter but I was having trouble with it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this all the same! I've had a lot of this fic written up before I started posting chapters but we are getting close to the point of being caught up to what I've written. That means updates may not come as often, but don't fret. I don't ever plan on abandoning this fic. I love writing it too much to do that.
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated. If you want to talk, you can find me on tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or my discord at portalsandart


	19. Chapter 19

“Still find it hard to believe one guy fought through countless black ops. Aren’t they supposed to be the best of the best of the best?”

“You’d think so,” Adrian said. He munched on a Combine ration pack and frowned. He had been expecting a military-style MRE. Maybe some ‘four fingers of death’ being the worst case scenario, but somehow, they had managed to take out the flavor of a ration pack. It was like eating paper. No flavor to speak of and felt like he was chewing an entire package of saltine crackers at once. Good god, was his mouth dry.

“So after you fought through more black ops, what happened?”

“A security guard sent me down into a basement where this big ass portal that looked like Pepto-Bismol but smelled like raw sewage was held. Nothing happened for a few minutes, but soon this giant worm creature that looked like the cross between Cthulhu and a grasshopper crawled its way out of the portal,” Adrian said before taking a large sip of water. Yeah, that taste wasn’t going anywhere for a while.

“Luckily there were these laser-cannon things? Some sort of crystal or shit was lodged into them. Seemed to hurt the freak when I shot it in the eyes since it to roared in pain. It would rear back and expose its mouth or soft stomach? I wasn’t sure. But I just unloaded every fucking thing I had at it.

“But this big green shit? It could spit out portals! It sent more of those big guys with the bug things that shoot electricity after me, but I managed to get them out of the way. Nearly died in the process…”

Adrian had trailed off as he remembered the feeling of electricity course through his body and how his arm had taken nearly the full force of that worm’s strange breath attack. It had been like acid was eating at his skin and large wounds oozed puss and blood. The one hit had left him only one arm for the remainder of the fight. Whatever happened, there was barely any evidence that it ever happened at all. Just faint scars along the length of his arm, but that was it.

“Eventually, it went back into the pink portal.  Not sure if I killed it or it retreated, but… everything after that was a blur. Green balls of light started pouring from the portal. I tried to dodge them but, in the process, threw myself off a catwalk. It amounted to shit as I was still caught by one of those green balls. Turned out to be another portal.”

Adrian wanted to talk more about what happened after, but even after his story, the idea of an alien bureaucrat kidnapping him was too farfetched. He’d been careful through the whole story. He omitted how the bastard opened a door for him so he wouldn’t get eaten alive by electrified toxic waste or closing a door so he couldn’t join up with his fellow soldiers during the evac.

Then came the time defining moment. He had reactivated the fucking bomb! Adrian had done everything he could to ensure the place wouldn’t go up in a fiery glass crater and kill everyone who managed to stay alive, but He had undone all of it. Adrian had tried to break the window with his wrench, but that didn’t work. He then tried to shoot the glass out, but it didn’t do anything. Had he not been so angry at the time, he probably would have wondered why ballistic glass would be in a parking garage.

“How’d you get out of there anyway?”

Adrian rubbed at his scars and pursed his lips. There had been the worm retreating into the portal, then a flash of bright light. Then there was Him. He had been standing in front of Adrian as if it was the most natural thing in the world, yet Adrian had been unable to move or say a word. He knew that his weapons had been taken. Everything from the red pipe wrench to the green squid-like creature. Then he’d been left to sit in an abyss of black until being unceremoniously dropped into fuck-nowheresville without even saying anything.

Just as Adrian was about to talk, he found himself being interrupted by another rebel running into the small sitting room.

“Calhoun! Did you hear? Freeman made it to the Borealis!”

The rebel was probably the same age as Shepherd, but had a weariness around the eyes that made him look older. He had red hair cut close to the scalp and a thick scar that disappeared into his hairline.

Barney was on his feet in moments, “Are you serious? That’s great! Are they still on coms?”

“Not sure. I just came to alert you of the development,” he said.

And just like that, the rebel ran off. He was apparently playing messenger and alerting everyone he could.

“Come on, Shep. Let’s see if we can catch the docs before the connection gets lost again,” Barney said before moving out of the room.

Adrian quickly followed after Barney but only to reach out and grab the man by the shoulder. He had run off before Adrian could finish talking before. “You asked how I escaped? It was-“

“Barney! Did you hear?” A female rebel yelled down the corridor.

“Yeah! I’m on my way to see the docs, now!”

Adrian scowled. Twice now he’d been interrupted. It most probably a coincidence.

“Calhoun? Could you answer a question for me?”

“Can’t it wait?”

Adrian shook his head, “Not really.”

Barney crossed his arms and sighed. He inclined his head toward Adrian to indicate he could speak.

There’s the chance to speak about Him, but if He were causing some kind of manipulation, then there would be no way to openly talk about Him without interference. Two times within minutes could be a coincidence, but the timing of their conversation topic was too convenient. Adrian needed to speak to someone about the Man but how could he if he was being prevented.

‘No hesitation, Adrian,’ he thought.

Change of tactics was needed.

“You never answered my question before. Who’s Freeman?”

Barney looked at Adrian for several seconds before laughing. “Yeah. You’re right… but, shouldn’t you already know?”

“If I did, would I be asking?”

Barney only looked at Adrian with a blank expression before sighing and rubbing the back of his head. Frankly, Barney had been thankful for the prior interruptions. Although now Adrian was demanding an answer. “Alright, fine. It’s my buddy Gordon. Happy? Now hurry up, and you may get a chance to talk to him.”

With that, Barney started a slow jog down the hall.

Adrian followed, but his mind was somewhere else. The war hero Gordon was the Freeman guy from Black Mesa? Something about that didn’t match up with what he knew. One of the big things was that Adrian had seen Freeman jump into a portal back at Black Mesa. What he had been doing was a mystery to Adrian.

The difference between Gordon and Freeman was hard to distinguish to Adrian. What he had learned in Black Mesa is that Freeman was thought to be the cause of the entire incident, but Barney showed Gordon as a hero. All the rebels saw him as a liberator. The idea of this rogue sabotaging scientist and the battle-hardened leader of the resistance clashed greatly with what Adrian knew of the man _. The myth_? Apparently, some kind of legend among the people.

Just who was Gordon Freeman?

Adrian had all these thoughts burning in his head, even as he nearly bumped into the hunched figure with wrinkled skin and bright red eyes.

His entire body went rigid as he took a step back. He could feel the electricity run up his arms and down his spine. The garbled cries of his comrades falling to the ground, unable to reach them in time.

Adrian was about to grab onto the tiny head of the creature and smash it against his knee until he saw something that made him pause. Was it wearing a lab coat?

A lab coat?

Why the hell was the alien wearing a lab coat?!

Why the fuck was an alien walking around in the base and wearing the lab coat as if it was the most normal thing in the world?

Before he knew it, the Alien turned to look at him and nodded its head. “Greetings.”

They can talk now?!

The sound of its voice must have attracted Barney because he looked back. Adrian must have looked panicked as he analyzed the situation since Barney looked sheepish, “Yeah. Forgot to mention that they are on our side now. This is Uriah. He works with Dr. Magnusson and Dr. Kleiner.”

Adrian looked back to Barney with an expression that was something between ‘fuck you’ and ‘how could you have forgotten this.’

“Just remember what I said, Adrian. Don’t make a scene and stick with me,” Barney explained and entered the lab. Uriah followed after Barney and Adrian after Uriah.

Adrian was good at following orders, but not very good at staying in one place. He would always want to move around and fiddle with things nearby. Standing in one spot had been the worst part of boot camp as he always needed something to do with his hands. Not being able to move had gotten him in trouble with Drill Sergeant Barns on more than one occasion.

_‘What is your major malfunction, dirtbag? Can’t even stand still correctly? Need me to hold your hands?’_

So the moment Adrian walked into the lab, he had the urge to run his hands over the various machines and equipment. Instead of moving to touch everything, he resorted to what he always did. He ran the pads of his thumbs over the sides of his index fingers as if continuously flicking a lighter on and off. That’s what Adrian continued to do as he moved next to Barney.

Hunched over a table with his back to Adrian and Barney was a balding man in a lab coat. He seemed to be fiddling with something, but Adrian could not see what it was from the angle he was standing.

“Are they still on, doc?”

“Hmm?” The scientist said turning to look at Barney. “Oh. I’m sorry, Barney. You just missed them. They had to cut off transmission or risk being found, but they are both quite alright!”

The scientist had a gentle yet generic face to Adrian. If he had been back in Black Mesa, he doubted he would have been able to tell the man apart from any of the countless other employees there; what with his thick-framed glasses, balding head, blue shirt, and lab coat.

“Damn. Oh- sorry, doc.”

“It’s quite alright, Barney. I’m sure they will call back soon. But you are just in time to see the unveiling of my newest achievement!”

Barney had a smile on his face while placing his hands on his hips. “Alright, Doctor Kleiner… Let’s see what you got.”

The scientist, now revealed to Adrian to be named Kleiner, turned around and held up something for Barney -and by extension, Adrien- to see. What the scientist held up stole Adrian’s breath away. The very thing he had been trained to use when he first entered the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit. A PCV, Powered Combat Vest, was held in Kleiner’s hands like a present and presented it out towards Barney.

“I found this among my things and thought it best to modify it just as I did Gordon’s suit. This old PC vest can now be charged on Combine energy outlets.” Kleiner explained and prodded at a port near the shoulder.

Adrian wanted to grab it and put it on. He wanted to wear it again. To feel the comforting embrace of the vest once again. The needles pierced into his spine be damned. He would rather have it on than to be out in the open air with nothing but a thick coat. And some belts like the rebels he had seen so far. He needed the vest again.

The scientist finally turned to look at Adrian and perked up as if just noticing him. “Hello. I don’t believe we’ve had the honor to meet.”

Adrian started to open his mouth to respond, but Barney cut him off. “New guy. Just showed up a couple days ago. I’m showing him around since I still can’t go out on patrols.”

Adrian nodded to the scientist and had to restrain himself from saluting. He wasn’t an officer despite being in charge. “Corporal Adrian Shepherd, sir.”

“Corporal?” Dr. Kleiner questioned.

Dammit. Out of the corner of his eye, Barney had a look on his face that he wanted to be anywhere else in that moment.

“This is the Shepherd! He who watches the flocks and keeps all safe from harm!”

Adrian spun on his feet to see that the alien had spoken up from the other side of the room. Had it been listening to them the entire time?

“Uriah? Do you know this man?” came another voice.

In the corner stood a man with square shoulders, gray hair that may have been black at one point, and a sneer on his face that looked to be permanent. He reminded Adrian of some of the officers back at the base in Arizona. Sergeant stick-up-his-ass.

The new guy was wearing a lab coat as well, so Adrian assumed he was a scientist as well. Since the bald one was Kleiner, Adrian knew this man to be Magnusson.

Turning back to Uriah, Adrian saw it nod. “Indeed. We see him in Black Mesa.”

A silence so tense that it could snap with the smallest of pressure took hold of the room. It lasted for only a moment, but it felt like an hour.

Barney let out a curse and Adrian went rigid with the fury that twisted Magnusson’s face.

“It’s bad enough we had to deal with those brutes twenty years ago, but now we are inviting them into our home?” He yelled to everyone yet no one in particular.

Kleiner looked nervous, but he still approached Magnusson, “Now, now see here. Look at him. I’m sure there is a reason for his being here.”

“He’s here because he’s like the rest of us yet he can’t hide from the things he has done!”

“We don’t know for sure…”

“I didn’t kill anyone!” Adrian found himself shouting at the older men. “I never harmed any civilians while at Black Mesa!”

Magnusson looked ready to rip Adrian’s head off but stopped once a wrinkled hand reached out and grabbed his sleeve. “It is true what the Shepherd says. We still see him within the halls of Black Mesa. He guides soldier and scientist alike to safety all while slaying those that seek to do harm. We could not ask for a finer ally in these troubled times.”

Magnusson still looked angry, but he slowly backed away from Adrian. He suddenly felt a lot happier that the alien was on his side in this conversation.

“Adrian, was it?” Kleiner spoke back up, his voice sounding a little meeker than before.

Adrian turned to the man and nodded.

“Right. What do you plan to do now?”

Adrian shrugged his shoulders. “I plan on doing what needs to be done.”

Kleiner looked to Barney and Barney looked back. Adrian watched as they exchanged a look and a nod before the scientist grabbed the PCV from the desk and approached Adrian.

“You should be the one to wear this then. I was going to give it to Barney and let him get acquainted with it for the field, but seeing as you have the knowledge for it, you would find better use of it,”Kleiner said while holding the vest out to Adrian.

Adrian humbly took it and looked the vest over. Seeing it in good condition, he took off the jacket he had been wearing and slipped the vest over his head. Once it was a comfortable position, he made sure everything was in alignment before activating it.

There came the sharp bite of needles as they found their way into his skin, but they would surely save his life if the time came. No mask meant there was no heads-up display so he’d have to rely on the attached meter across the chest, but it would work. It fit him, and he had his lifeline.

A smile came to his face as he ran his hand down the chest but froze as he felt something cold and metallic that was strangely foreign. Looking down, Adrian saw the silver metallic Y on his vest. To anyone else, it would be _λ_. _A Lambda_. It was prominent and right over the center of his chest. A crest of the rebellion.

Adrian gave a look to Barney and Kleiner before nodding. Time to get to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrian is hard to write. I love him but he is the most challenging for me to write. It might be that I don't want to fall back on tropes or that I'm not a marine, but I try.  
> As for why he uses a lot of cuss words? It's a habit for him. I had always heard that Marines cuss worse than anyone and I asked a friend who was in the Marines about that and he said that there is a cuss almost every other word. When he was in basic, he learned that all trash baskets were called 'shit-cans' and if a commanding officer asked you to clean it, you did it without question.
> 
> If anyone has seen the Shephard’s Mind YouTube series, did you catch any references?
> 
> In other news, sorry about the week delay on this chapter. The past week has been crazy. Yesterday was the first day off from work I had had in seven days and when I'm not working, I have to look after my brother's kids. I've been busy...
> 
> Anyway, as always, if you liked the chapter, please comment. They are my lifeblood. If you want to chat, you can find me at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or on discord at portalsandart


	20. Chapter 20

Chell shifted uneasily in the cabin of the APC, but Mel looked out the window with excitement.

“Alright! Come out with your hands up!” One of the rebels shouted to them, although it was barely legible through the thick glass of the windows.

Mel looked a little worried by their attitude but knew there was nothing to truly be scared about. This was a real rebel camp compared to the false rebel in the past.

Chell and Mel exchanged a look before the latter opened the door. The metal screeched with a hiss and sunlight flooded the cabin. Both girls slowly clambered out with their arms above their heads while the vortigaunts followed.

Upon seeing the vortigaunts, several of the rebels lowered their weapons, but others took that as an opportunity to get closer.

“Get the Vorts clear!” The same rebel shouted.

Chell saw two rebels move close. They had red crosses on their armbands along with the yellow lambdas mirroring the other arm. They ushered the vortigaunts away from the girls. Chell wanted to go after them, but the weapons aimed in her direction kept her standing in place.

“State your business! Why are you dressed like a CP and in a Combine vehicle?” The rebel spoke once more.

The rebel was a man in his late forties with graying blonde hair and hazel eyes. His cheeks were sunken, but he didn’t look to be starving. None of the other rebels seemed that way, so that made Chell believe he was just like that.

“We were heading East. The bridge was out, so we tried to find an alternate route.” Mel explained while lowering her hands.

“Hands back up!” the rebel yelled.

Mel complied.

“Damn, Jackson! It’s just a couple of girls!” Another rebel with rounded cheeks and curly black hair called out to the one called Jackson.

“Yeah. Two girls wearing Metrocop jackets and driving in a Combine APC,” Jackson snapped back. He then followed it up by spitting on the ground.

“But there are vortigaunts with them!” The same rebel responded. While they had been talking, the vortigaunts had been ushered away by two medics.

Chell wished she had her portal gun in her hands. She had left it inside the APC, but her fingers twitched as if pressing the triggers. It wouldn’t do any good out in the forest, but it would provide a comfort, no matter how small.

“They were probably prisoner transports, Davis,” Jackson snapped back.

“Then where are their shackles, genius?” The one called Davis responded. He looked younger than Jackson but by only a few years. He had thin brown hair and tanned skin. He had a long scar along his cheek and was missing half of one ear.

Jackson gave Davis a sour look before rounding on the girls. “Are you going to tell us why you are here or not?”

“We would if you’d give us a chance to!” Mel shouted back. From her location, Chell could see Mel’s hands balling into fists and clutching tight to her hair.

Jackson looked ready to start shouting again, but before he could, someone reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was a woman. She had dark skin and had hair tied back into a tight bun at the base of her skull. She didn’t say anything but only fixed Jackson with a look. That was all it took for the tenseness in his shoulders to lessen and his head to nod. “Yeah, you’re right…”

The next moment, Jackson raised a hand in the air with his index finger extended and made a large circular motion. “Alright. Let’s move. Get that vehicle off the road and have the women escorted back to base!”

Like a well-oiled machine, the rebels all moved as one. Some parting into pairs and moving out, others fanning out to the edges of the group, and then three approached the girls and helped them to their feet. Mel stumbled a little, but Chell was there to catch her. The gave each other a reassuring smile before allowing themselves to be led away from their vehicle.

All the while they walked, Chell didn’t speak. Instead, she listened and watched. She noticed how the three that had helped her and Mel to their feet didn’t take their eyes off of them. She also made note that the way the group was positioned was in a wedge shape as they moved through the forest. Mel and Chell were near located near the back of the wedge with the leader, Jackson, only a few feet in front of them. The woman that had touched his shoulder walked by his side. She cast a glance at the girls and smiled. Mel returned it, but Chell only kept her eyes peeled to her surroundings.

If it weren’t for the group of people milling around a fallen tree trunk, Chell would never have known they had arrived at the base. Calling it a base would be stretching the truth, but it wasn’t a campsite either. At one point there were trees, but they had been chopped down and cleared away to make space for the people. In the clearing they arrived to, there wasn’t much except a few groups of people walking around and strange raised mounds of greenery and sticks.

Chell watched as one couple went to the group near the tree trunk. They were pointing at something beyond the log that Chell couldn't quite see. The girls passed by, and Chell noticed there were a couple more tree trunks down and made a small square patch with plants spaced every couple feet from each other. A garden? They had planted a garden?

That was the moment when everything else started to funnel into Chell’s mind. She hadn’t seen any tents or buildings because they were hidden. A closer inspection revealed that the mounds of greenery and sticks were the tops to underground homes. Passing by one of the mounts, Chell managed to see a set of hard-packed dirt steps lined with rocks for grip disappearing into the depths.

On the opposite end of the base, Chell could see two men with large plastic water containers walking towards one of the more massive mounds. If she listened hard enough, she could swear she heard the sound of running water over the sound of marching boots. Was there another stream or even a river nearby?

Even as she took everything in, Chell only had one thought on her mind. It was a community! An actual hidden community in the middle of a forest.

One of the other things that surprised Chell was how casually everyone moved and spoke to Jackson.

“Hey, Jackson? We got some kind of grub problem in the gardens.”

“Do what you can to get rid of them. If we have to till a new area, we will.”

“Hey, Jackson! Patrols claimed they saw a Gargantua today. About ten clicks.”

“Alright. We’ll bring the patrol nearer to base for tomorrow, but if the big ugly gets closer, we’ll hunker down until it passes through.”

“Jackson? You seen Mary anywhere?”

“She’s got the afternoon patrol, Colt!”

Jackson seemed to not just be the leader but was also the go-to guy for anything. Any food questions? They checked in with Jackson. Looking for someone? Check with Jackson. Two strange women arrive in a Combine vehicle? Better call Jackson.

The group finally stopped in a cleared-out, dirt trodden, area in what Chell assumed to be the center of the camp. Chell kept her arms cross over her chest while Mel stood with her arms at her sides. While they had been walking, other rebels had taken notice, and soon at least fifty people were surrounding them. Along with the people, Chell saw the two vortigaunts. Seeing them brought a small smile of relief to her.

She then turned her face to look once more at Jackson who had approached them in the time it took Chell to see the vortigaunts. His face was still stern, but he didn’t look as angry.

“Alright,” he started, his hands gripping his MP7 in a ready position but not having it up to aim, “why exactly are you here and how did you find us?”

Chell and Mel shared a look before the latter spoke. “Would you believe us if we said it was an accident?”

Jackson and several other rebels looked skeptical.

“Like I said before… the bridge was out on the road, and we had to find an alternate route. I was actually rescued from a Combine compound by her,” Mel pointed to Chell.

Chell just looked around and nodded at Jackson.

“What about you,” Jackson said, motioning to Chell with his left hand, right never leaving his weapon.

Chell wondered if she could get away with not speaking. She had already broken her silence on several occasions, what was one more time? Just because she would talk, didn’t mean she would be courteous.

“I was tricked. The vortigaunts helped me subdue the would-be attacker. I impersonated him and went undercover into the compound,” Chell said flatly. There was nothing but business and to the point in her explanation. The less talking, the better.

Turning to the vortigaunts, Jackson cocked his head to the side and asked, “Can you confirm her story?”

“Yes. We have traveled for many days with the Traveler and have seen the path that is before her. It is only recently with the Mel,” Wrinkles said with a nod.

“Traveler? Does she not have a name?”

Orange eye was the one to speak up next. “She has not given it up to us.”

Chell's face screwed up at their words. A tightness formed in her gut and it was all because of her damn stubbornness. She had been with them for nearly a week, and she had yet to tell them her name. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even asked for their names either. She mentally kicked herself for being too stubborn to even give her name to the two beings she saw as friends.

The revelation broke through, and her eyes widened a fraction. They were her friends...

 

_You're not a good person, you know that, right?_

 

She had given her name up to Mel within hours of meeting her, but she had never even said it to the vortigaunts. They never asked for her name though, Chell thought. They had just resorted to calling her ‘Traveler.’

“It’s Chell.”

The words left her mouth before she processed them, but she had made a point to look right at the Vortigaunts. Her eyes attempting to give some sort of apology to them. They looked back, but she was unable to read their expression.

Jackson gives each of the girls another look before turning to look at the woman from before. They share a look and Jackson sighs. “Alright. You two are clear, but I’m going to have you watched for the time being. Don’t be messing into things you don’t anything about.”

Mel let out a relieved sigh while Chell showed no change. She didn’t like the situation, but she would just have to adapt and overcome.

The next few minutes were just the two of them being led down into one of the half-buried buildings. Inside is dimly lit with oil lamps, but the walls are covered in tarps, metal signs, and some black material. Chell assumed it was all for waterproofing the insides. They were each given a small bundle containing a mat and a blanket. They would be sharing the sleeping area with several other people, but the two women went ahead and set up their mats in a corner furthest from the door.

While they got ready, the woman that made Jackson calm down slowly made her way to the corner where they were and gave a warm smile. “Hey… My name’s Sylvia. I wish to apologize for Jackson’s behavior. I don’t want you to feel unwelcome.”

She paused as if to let Chell and Mel speak, but when they didn’t, she continued. “He’s just paranoid. We’ve been betrayed in the past by new people and he wants to prevent that from happening again. And honestly… with how you showed up, it does raise red flags.”

Mel shrugged while sitting cross-legged on her mat. “He’s a real wolf, but from what I’ve seen… It seems warranted.”

The woman smiled despite the slightly confused expression on her face at Mel’s terminology. “I’m glad you understand. But this group? It used to be larger. Almost twice the size it is now. We lost a lot of good people.”

“I’m sorry,” Mel said.

“Why are you apologizing? There’s nothing you could have done. You weren’t even here,” Sylvia said. A sad smile was displayed on her face.

Mel pursed her lips and visibly sagged. “It’s just the thing that is supposed to be said, right? Offer up some sympathy?”

Sylvia smiled but shook her head at Mel. “There’s no need for sympathy right now. Sorry doesn’t do anything for the dead, because sorry can’t change anything. Apologies should be reserved for the living. Only they can receive them.”

Chell listened intently to the conversation but quickly realized she wasn’t much for philosophy. She had been dealing with facts since she woke up in Aperture and only focused on what was in front of her. She didn’t see the point in debating on apologies when there were more important matters at hand.

“You’ve been quiet. Is something wrong?” Sylvia asked, directing her attention towards Chell.

Chell shrugged and then shook her head.

“…Alright. If you say so,” Sylvia replied while keeping her eyes on Chell. She gave a final smile to them both. “I wish to welcome you both to camp.”

With that, Sylvia left the same way she came.

Once she was gone and the girls realized they were alone, Chell instantly looked to Mel and with a low voice said, “We can’t tell them about Aperture.”

Mel seemed to have the same thought as she nodded. “I know. We could put them in danger if anyone finds us.”

“They are already in danger. With us being here,” Chell added.

They both went silent after that.

They spent nearly an hour in that corner just trying to get their story straight for how to avoid Aperture. Mel did most of the talking while Chell only provided a sentence here or there.

Chell may not have been wholly silent, but Mel could tell something was different about her. Her voice was quieter, had more bite to it. It was as if she was trying to not be heard yet wanted to make a point at the same time.

“Okay. What’s the matter with you?” Mel finally asked. “Why are you acting like you don’t want to talk to me?”

Chell thought of snapping back at her, but it was Mel. Although they barely knew each other, they had the shared experience of escaping Aperture, so maybe she would understand.

“Habit.”

“Can you explain?”

“Silence… It was one of the few things I could control back… there. I guess now… whenever I’m in a situation where I don’t have control, I feel like I should be quiet.”

Mel doesn’t do anything at first. She just sits on the ground across from Chell for several moments. She then slowly reaches out and grabs onto Chell’s right hand and nods. “I get it. Do what you feel needs to be done.”

“Thanks,” Chell whispers before standing to her feet.

Mel followed her and as they walked into the afternoon sunlight, there were two rebels outside waiting for them.

“Hi. My name is Warren and this is Ross. We’ve been selected to be your escorts,” the taller of the two said.

Ross was a woman of average height. She had black hair cut short, almost down to the scalp but the defined shape of her brow and jaw would not hide the fact that she was a lady. Her eyes were a rich hazel color and she had a mole above her right eyebrow.

Warren was a man only slightly taller than Ross but only by an inch or two. His head was cut similar to Ross,’ but it looked patchier.

“Hey,” Mel returned to the two.

Mel looked to Chell before nodding and walking in the direction of a garden patch. Warren and Ross shared a look before the former followed after Mel. That left Ross and Chell to stare at each other for several seconds.

“I’m going to the APC. There are things I need from it, and I need you to carry one of the bags,” Chell announced before walking in the direction from which she came just over an hour ago.

Ross nodded and fell in step next to Chell. “Fine, but don’t try anything.”

“Whatever,” Chell grumbled back to Ross.

They both remained silent all the way to the vehicle. Apparently, a few of the rebels had hooked it up to some robes and chains and dragged it off the road and had proceeded to gut it. Her bags had been already removed from the vehicle and a couple of the backseats.

Anger flared through Chell as she stalked forward and searched through the bags laid out on the ground next to the APC. She found her portal gun and felt instant relief to see it was in one piece. Before she could even close the bag, Ross had snatched it away to look inside.

Chell snatched it back, coupled with a noise that was practically feral. Ross answered in turn, one of her hands not leaving the pack. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s not a weapon, but it is mine,” Chell answered, eyes full of steel and voice of poison.

Ross looked Chell over before releasing the pack. She looked in the second pack on the ground, the one full of weapons and ration packs. “This one will need to be checked with Jackson.”

“Whatever,” Chell replied, holding her pack close.

That made Ross meet Chell’s eyes once more. Both women kept eye contact, neither wanting to be the first to break. Then it happened. Twin smirks crossing their faces at nearly the same time.

Ross brought her free hand up to hover in the air between the two and Chell met her. Their hands clasped together as one and they each gave a tight squeeze. They stayed like that, eyes locked, before finally nodding to each other.

“So what’s the deal with that pack?” Ross said, voice more casual than before.

“Sentimental value,” Chell answered, holding the bag a little closer.

 

Getting the second pack checked with Jackson turned out to be a hassle. He had taken most of the ration packs and guns, but he left Chell with the MP7, a pistol, some boxes of ammo, a single grenade, and five ration packs.

The only reason he had left her with anything is the fact that she admitted she didn’t plan on staying for long. She planned to keep moving and never stay in one place for long. Staying still made people complacent and easy to prey on.

Chell felt cheated out of her supplies, but it was better than having everything taken from her.

As she went for a walk around the base, Chell couldn’t help but notice how Mel had a group of rebels around her. It looked like she was instructing them and it seemed that she was educating them to do something. She was crouched down into one of the garden plots and holding up some white worm thing. She tossed it far away before going on with her talk.

Chell went back to her assigned bunk and sat down on the mat she had been given. It wasn’t long before others started filing in and laying down as well. Mel came in with the same group she had been talking to earlier. Seeing Chell, she made her way over and sat down near her.

Mel motioned to Chell’s pack and nodded, “Is that it?”

Chell nodded in turn. “Yeah.”

“Good to see it,” Mel smiled and then laid back on her mat.

It wasn’t long before even more people came in and laid down on their perspective mats. It got to the point of being crowded in Chell’s opinion. Being underground didn’t help matters either. After spending so long underground in small boxes and narrow halls, sleeping in an underground shelter wasn’t appealing to her.

 About an hour after the sound of snoring filled the air, Chell carefully rolled up her mat and tiptoed her way out of the shelter.

Coming into the small clearing, Chell saw the vortigaunts and rolled her mat out near them.

“Evening, Traveler. Shouldn’t you be resting like the others?” Orange eye asked.

“Too crowded. I’d rather be out here,” Chell answered.

She rolled out her mat and laid back, eyes fixed on the sky. A thousand stars dotted the sky.

“Pray tell… Has the Traveler found the key to their untapped memories?” Orange continued.

Chell looked at them out of the corner of her eyes, but shrugged her shoulders despite the awkward angle of laying down. “Maybe? There have been glimpses. Numbers and codes. Mostly numbers. Machinery. Bits and pieces of conversations.”

They seemed happy with that. “You have seen a glimpse? So you must figure out how to fully open that door, yes? All that is needed is to find the key.”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she let out a sigh and rolled over onto her side to look at the vortigaunts. “I’m sorry for not giving my name before.”

Both vortigaunts shook their heads in sync. “There is no need for apologies. What you wish to do with your name is not of our concern, but knowing it now makes the bonds between us stronger,” Wrinkles said.

Chell tried to smile but it looked forced. “Do you have names?”

Once again, they shook their heads. Wrinkles let orange eye take over. “For was are all in one within the vortessence, names are inconsequential to the grand scheme of life.”

He paused as if to take stock of Chell’s expression. He must have found something as he continued to speak.

“However, many a vortigaunt has taken a name to help humans differentiate us between each other. Any name given to us is most treasured when it comes from a trusted friend,” Orange concluded.

Chell bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making any sign of what she was thinking. Were they saying they trusted her and considered her as a friend?

She looked at them both then turned back onto her back to gaze at the sky.  It was the same sky, yet it felt so different. It felt like she had never honestly looked at the sky before and she was transfixed by the beauty of the stars and moon. It was the same sky, but it was different every night. The moon was high in the air and only half full. It had been full the night she had sent Wheatley into the black abyss and into the moon’s rotation. Had it only been a couple weeks since that night? With everything that had happened since she stepped foot on the surface, it felt like a lifetime ago.

That night had been full of adrenaline and Chell could almost remember every aspect of it. The mocking tones of Wheatley, the burning pain from the explosions, the pressure of being pulled into the vacuum of space, and how clearly she could see the light bouncing off the lunar landing zone.

She blinked at that. It was such a minor thing in the long run but the fact that she remembered seeing it felt strange to remember.

Somewhere a bird called in the night and Chell smiled to herself. She’d give them their names in the morning.

“Goodnight, guys,” Chell mumbled to them before rolling once more on her side.

“Goodnight, Chell,” both of them said. She smiled once more before succumbing to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm sorry this came out late. I wanted to have this published last week, but real life got in the way, and the editing process ended up taking longer. Good news is that I have the next two chapters written out and they need to be edited, so you can expect at least one update within the next two weeks after this chapter.
> 
> Did you know background characters are really fun? They may be minor but its so much fun making the tiny characters that have interesting quirks to them and playing with those in different ways. I'm also a big sucker for the 'rough commanding person is a sucker for their significant other and will do anything they ask' trope. That's what Jackson and Sylvia are. Fun fact, when he thinks their alone, he can't stop looking at her. He believes her to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated and if you want to chat, you can find me on Tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or on discord and portalsandart


	21. Chapter 21

Alyx and Gordon stayed perfectly still on top of the ice shelf. They needed to assess the situation first before charging in blindly like they usually did. It was the Borealis, and there was no way there’d only be a few guards patrolling the outside like an outpost. It would require stealth and trying to get in without being seen or heard.

That could prove to be a problem and Gordon already felt exposed in the bright light. He had lost track of when he last saw the sun disappeared beyond the horizon if it ever did. He had been told what it was years ago but only knew that if you went far enough north, you’d reach a part of the Arctic that would experience weeks of straight daylight during the summer. It was disconcerting and made Gordon steadily lose track of time.

Getting down from the shelf to the ship was another matter. The desk Borealis was fifty feet. From that height, Gordon knew survival was only a fifty-fifty shot. Even if they did survive, they would have numerous broken bones and be unable to run. Even with the hazard suit, he would be in horrible shape.

Then the next problem was the dark gray building below the ship. It was made entirely of the same dark metal segments that made up the walls and barriers dotted through City 17 and Nova Prospekt. Although it wasn’t very tall, it was wide, and there was no telling how deep it went or how many soldiers could be inside.

Gordon scanned the surroundings and noted a metal staircase leading up to the deck of the ship. That would be their way on board, but they just had to find a way to get down first. He scanned the surroundings once more just as the patrol made their way around the building once more.

“Gordon,” Alyx whispered to him while pointing to the far side of the building.

The man brought his eyes to where she was pointing and thought nothing of it at first. That is until he saw a snow drift going all the way from the top of the ice shelf to the ground. A smile pulled at his lips at the site of a soft ramp of snow allowing them to climb down without risk of breaking any bones.

The duo exchanged a look before they slowly began to crawl all the way over to the far side of the ship and to the drift. As they neared, Gordon could see that it was still a bit of a drop, but by dropping into the powder instead of something substantial, there wouldn't be a risk of serious injury. It was only a fifteen-foot drop at most.

Once situated, Gordon and Alyx fell into a routine. Alyx had an old watch that had to be wound to work, and she held it up for Gordon to see. They had no idea if the time was correct but it The two then kept their eyes on the watch and the building down below where the patrol would circle the building.

The two stayed up on the shelf for thirty-seven minutes exact, and like clockwork, the patrol would circle the building every six minutes. In that time, the two of them would have to slide to the bottom of the shelf on the drift, climb the stairs, and get inside the Borealis. All without triggering any alarms or being seen. We’ve accomplished harder things, Gordon thought.

He looked over to Alyx. She was slumped deep in the snow, her eyes looking drowsy. Gordon nudged her, and she jolted awake. “Sorry…”

He frowned at her.

She needed to get indoors and warm up quick. They’d been outside too long, and they needed to rest. It was dangerous to fall asleep in the snow, even Gordon knew that.

Another five minutes passed and the patrol appeared. They slowly circled past the large snowdrift and out of sight around the corner of the building. Gordon and Alyx shared a look before joining hands and fell over the edge.

There was the feeling of weightlessness and the feeling that his stomach was in his chest but then came the crunch of snow and sinking feeling of his body. Gordon’s free hand came up to his face to prevent his glasses from falling off as he started rolling his body down the hill.

He lost hold of Alyx’s hand as they continued to tumble down the slope and his speed was increasing. He needed to slow down or risk hitting the ground harder than needed. Taking the risk of going blind, Gordon let go of his glasses and threw his hands out, dragging against the snow. His hands glided right through, but he could feel his momentum slowing. The flakes of snow were flying into his face that forced him to close his eyes. He just waited till he could no longer feel himself moving before finding the courage to open his eyes once more.

He was relieved to find he was near the bottom and pushed his way to through the snow until he could stand on his own two feet again. It was awkward, and he came away with snow caked into a thin sheet of ice on his protective layer. No matter how he brushed his hand against it, the snow refused to leave.

Going to his face, he made to brush the snow away from his glasses but realized he’d been wearing his goggles the entire time over them. He felt silly for even trying to hold them in place to begin with. Force of habit, he thought.

Turning around, he caught sight of Alyx pushing her way out. As usual, she moved with the grace of a cat. She still had the bag he saved from the snow-cat attached to her back. It had food and some weapons. Gordon made sure his was still firmly attached to his shoulder before nodding at her.

She nodded back, and they took off in a mad sprint for the stairwell at the far end of the base. They ran in step with each other, eyes fixed on their prize, without any other thought than to reach the stairs and get inside the Borealis. Gordon reached the stairs first and had been too focused on the goal at hand that he failed to notice the steps were covered in ice. That’s why the next moment, Gordon found himself falling forward and knocking his chin on the stairs.

Gordon scrambled to his feet while Alyx looked on with amusement and concern. “You alright?”

Gordon spat to the side, red mixed into his spit. Must have bit his tongue when he fell. He threw a thumbs up at her before looking at the stairs.

“Good. We’ll just have to go slow up the stairs carefully,” she said before taking the lead.

He was thankful that she took point because he didn’t fully trust himself to be in front after his slip. Between his metal boots with smooth rubber soles and previous encounter with hanging into a blue abyss of the Arctic, he didn’t want to risk slipping and pulling Alyx down with him.

With one foot in front of the other, Gordon watched every spot he placed his foot. One step at a time, he told himself.

About a quarter of the way up, he stopped to look back over his shoulder to check his pack. Still okay. Just as he was about to keep going, Gordon froze. Coming around the compound was the patrol.

Gordon clicked his mouth to get Alyx’s attention. She looked back with confusion as Gordon made a motion to his wrist as if asking the time. Alyx looked at the watch and looked back at the ground to see the patrol.

“Dammit,” she hissed, her body pressing flat against the stairs. Gordon crawled up to her and huddled over her body, hoping the gray of his hoodie would conceal them both.

She watched the guards from beneath Gordon and Gordon watched her. He saw how her eyes flickered to the guards, to the stairs, then to the snowdrift where they had come from.

He followed her gaze and tightened his jaw at the remnants of what they had done. There was a clear sign of something having jumped and tumbled down the slope. At least their footprints couldn’t be seen by all the other prints from the Combine troops.

There was no saving grace as the patrol noticed the disturbed snow. From their hiding place, Gordon could hear one of the troops speak into their radio. “Possible sign of biotics or malcontents. Be on the lookout. Requesting higher security protocols.”

Gordon dared not move, his shoulders tense with nervous energy. The patrol had yet to walk away from the corner they had rounded. The rebel duo could try and crawl the rest of the way up the stairs, but it would be slow going.

As he was hunched over Alyx, Gordon got a cramp in his shoulder from his bag and tried to transfer it to his other shoulder. He wanted to move it between his body and hers, but it got snagged on a chunk of frozen ice. He gave it a small tug, but that proved to be disastrous. He ended up tugging too hard, and the bag slipped from his grip altogether and began to tumble down the stairs, ice and metal ringing out with every bounce the bag took.

There was a single moment where the world was quiet. No wind, no Combine radio chatter, no suit voice. All that happened was the patrol turning on their heels to see the bag and trail up the stairs to see Gordon and Alyx. That moment passed as Gordon’s goggles met the unfeeling blue eyes of the soldier.

“ _Anti-citizens confirmed! Move in_!”

Gordon growled as he launched himself from Alyx and down the stairs. He nearly slipped, but he had had enough speed to stay on his feet. The last few feet, he jumped and crouched over the bag like some kind of feral animal protecting its young. With both hands clutching the bag, he started running up the stairs.

There was the telltale sound of gunfire from three different sources. Two being the soldiers, then Alyx providing cover fire from above. He would have smiled if he wasn’t so preoccupied with not slipping on the icy stairs. He was just reaching Alyx when he heard one high pitched whine fill the air and followed by the sound of the Overwatch voice issuing backup orders.

That made him move all the faster. They were in not the best position to enter a firefight with an entire base. Being in a high priority area, there was sure to be a lot more backup on the way and only two of them with limited amounts of ammo.

He nearly slipped several times, but with Alyx providing covering fire, it spurred him further until he was to her once more and they were both heading up the stairs. About halfway up, the ice became less pronounced, but it was still hard for Gordon to get his footing. In the end, he kept his crowbar ready to latch onto the stairs if he started sliding back down again.

More gunfire filled the air just as they reached the top deck of the Borealis. The entire area is covered in a sheet of ice and Gordon was having a hard time moving once there. The gunfire was getting closer, and as he looked back to the stairs, he noticed that they were clamped to the deck instead of bolted adequately.

It was a rushed job it seemed, but it gave Gordon an idea. Ripping open the bag he had risked his life to save, he pulled out the bulky plastic case and flipped the latches open.

“Hurry, Gordon!” Alyx yelled as she ducked behind the railing of the ship.

Gordon ignored her, focusing on his prize. _The Gravity Gun_. It had been packed away for safe keeping in the plastic carrier while on the flight to the Arctic, and it had been easier to leave it in the case than to always have it attached to his hip with a leather strap.

The Gravity Gun had a handle that worked much like the twist clutch on a motorcycle. By twisting it one way, the gun would pull things closer just as a bike would slow down and turning the handle another way would send an object flying just as a cycle would speed up. With that in mind, Gordon took the device up and bared it, he took aim at the thick clamps holding the metal stairs the ship and twisted the handle back and gave the secondary fire to send a gravitational force of energy. There was the sound of groaning metal, but the stairs didn’t budge.

He can hear Alyx shouting for him to join her, but he had to try. He had to slow them down, even if it's just a few minutes. Once again, he twisted the handle forward once more. The stair clamps groaned again and moved an inch.

Seeing the movement spurred Gordon on. He continued to activate the secondary fire on the Gravity Gun continuously, even as the pounding of boots on the stairs neared. He couldn’t give up yet... Even as he heard a bone-chilling trill fill the air.

He spared a glance at Alyx who went white at the noise but continued to struggle with opening an iced over door. She was using the butt of a rifle to chip away at the ice, but that familiar sound filled the air made her look to Gordon.

Hunters.

He had to get the stairs away from the ship.

With speed unlike him, he pulled his crowbar out and threw it across the deck of the ship. It clattered against the ground before sliding to a stop at Alyx’s feet.

“I got your back,” Gordon managed to call out before once again turning his attention back on the stairs.

Alyx made a mad grab for the metal rod and began to chip mercilessly at the ice. The sharp, clawed end of the crowbar made her work go faster, and with each glance at Gordon, she saw that the steps were making small inches away from the deck. The bad news was that the soldiers were almost to the top and a lone hunter was circling the bottom of the stairs.

The hunter must have seen Gordon because it made a loud trilling sound before releasing a volley of the blue planchets at him. He barely ducked in time as they sailed over his head. He dropped to the deck of the ship, one hand going to rest on the plastic case that housed the Gravity Gun. Looking at it gave Gordon an idea.

Picking it up the carrier case with the primary function of the Gravity Gun, Gordon got near the railing of the ship, in view of the hunter. It let out several loud chirps in anger before firing another half dozen rounds at Gordon. He ducked again but kept the case up in view of the hunter’s attack.

With luck, three of the planchets struck home and Gordon waited for the telltale high pitched noise coming from them. When it seemed to come to a crescendo, Gordon triggered the secondary function of the gun and sent the planchets and case into the heavy metal clamps.

There was a flash of white that accompanied the small yet powerful explosive bursts, but it was enough. The clamps were destroyed.

Gordon moved to stand in front of the stairs again. As he readied his second favorite toy, the first soldier appeared in front of Gordon. It paused as it took in the damaged clamps and how loose the entire staircase suddenly felt without an anchor point.

“ _Shit_ ,” said the soldier.

Gordon smiled and fired.

There was the groaning of metal followed by the sound of ice breaking apart. Several more soldiers cried out in surprise and Gordon watched as the stairs buckled and broke apart. It crashed into a satisfying heap of metal and high pitched whines as several of the soldiers died in the crash. Some stumbled out and looked up at Gordon. He still had a smile on his face and as an added touch, have the remaining soldiers a wave of his hand.

His victory was cut short as the hunter was able to evade the crashing staircase. He launched a few more planchets at him as more soldiers than before started pouring out of the base.

With his mood instantly soured, he took off to join Alyx. She had most of the ice chipped away and was using the crowbar to try and twist the sizeable circular knob in the center open.

Gravity Gun in hand, Gordon blasted it a few times to loosen the ice some more, and the lock began to turn little by little.

Down below, Gordon could hear the units mobilizing and more hunters joined the first.

With a mighty screech, the two managed to open the door and clambered into the narrow metal corridor. Shutting the door behind them, they turned a similar large knob back to lock the door and watched as metal rods slid into place in each corner of the door. Alyx looked around the edges of the door and smiled when she found her prize. A thick metal rod that she shifted and effectively locked the door in place. The simple fact of knowing that the door was locked brought some sort of security to Gordon even if they could blow it open.

“Won’t hold them for long, but at least we made it,” she said.

Gordon nodded in turn and accepted his crowbar back when she offered it.

They both turned, backs to the door, to look down the dark corridor. They started walking, together, into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And into the depths of the Borealis they go!
> 
> Reaching this point has been a journey and there is still more to go and lots of unanswered questions. Just where is Chell hoping to do? What's happening to Adrien and Barney? And what is really inside the Borealis? Guess you'll have to wait and see!
> 
> On an unrelated note, I am really happy to have this chapter out earlier than expected. As usual, reviews are appreciated and if you want to talk, you can find me on tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or on discord at portalsandart


	22. Chapter 22

 

“ _Three… Two… One… Contact_!”

There was a small explosion and a shower of dust, but the steel door no longer remained. The troops filed inside, two abreast until all six were inside the tight dark area of the shed.

They had been deployed to the area after Aperture 1 had escaped and Aperture 2 had alluded CP-1295. They were tasked to scout and verify if everything CP-1295 claimed was correct. So far his claims of a metal shed in the middle of a wheat field were accurate. The two subjects were still at large but being tracked as they had taken one of the APCs. It would only be a matter of time until they were found. In the meantime, a band of six soldiers had been deployed from the survivors of the base to see what could be found.

The lead approached the other side of the shed and saw the large hole in the middle of the floor. A type shaft with clear glass sides all around. It was large enough to fit three people side by side with ease. The elevator tubes... Another point to the CP.

As one, three lines of cable were attached to the top, and all six started their descent. Two soldiers to each wire. Their cables ended at a solid white floor. Although dark, the squad could see everything as if in solid daylight in thanks to their augmented eyes and their helmets.

Their surroundings were panels of solid white, and a quick scan of the area showed a hallway made of similar white panels. The squad brought their weapons to bare and moved as one unit down the hall.

The hallway eventually turned a corner, and the squad continued to move, but they were startled by a bright light flashing into existence.

They turned their weapons on the source but no one fired. It was only a sign. A large sign that stretched from floor to ceiling and glowed a vibrant white. The illuminated sign displayed a large number 1 and several small boxes containing pictures beneath the number. The Aperture logo adorned the bottom left corner.

“ _Move out_ ,” the squad leader said,

They moved beyond the sign and through a half-opened foot thick steel door. The moment the last squad member made it through, the door closed tight, and a circle in the two joined halves spun and locked in place.

The squad was on guard at once, joining with their backs joined in a circle, ready for anything to appear. They stayed that way for several seconds before all the lights kicked on, surprising them all. Then came the voice.

“Hello and, again, welcome to the Aperture Science computer-aided enrichment center,” it started. The voice was flat and mechanical in nature, but familiar. The soldier recognized the sound of their Overwatch Dispatch, but it lacked the smoothness of it.

The data poured into his helmet of how they acquired the voice from samples of technology found at the Aperture Science facility located in what used to be Columbus, Ohio. Along with the voice samples that were part of a separate project at their central facility (they had not been able to get inside until this moment. All the entrances strangely disappeared before they could arrive somehow), they had found several other forms of technology that helped shape their dominion on earth.

“Although fun and learning are the primary goals of the enrichment center activities, serious injury may occur. Please refrain from- ftzzzzzz-“

The voice cut off in a cacophony of static. It was enough for the squad to lower its weapons. They were relieved to find it was only an automated system, but the locked door still proved to be a problem.

“Have a nice day,” the voice finally concluded.

“ _Spread out. Look for alternate ways out. Eight-five-three, make contact with the outside_ ,” the leader said.

OS-853 flicked their radio on to receive orders and to transmit as well. It was strangely quiet. “ _Scouting party Scalpel checking in…_ ”

No answer.

 _“OS-853, Scouting party Scalpel checking in. Comply…_ ”

No answer. Only a vague static sound.

There was the sound of static coming from unseen speakers again, and the voice spoke once more. “Please note that any attempts to contact anyone outside the testing track is prohibited. For your safety and convenience, the enrichment center has blocked all incoming and outgoing signals from within the testing track.”

The squad looked to each other before slowly gravitating closer to each other. That response seemed too planned. It was too perfect of timing.

The hallways opened up into a larger room with an open door on the other side. It almost looked to be waiting for them.

“Please note the incandescent particle field. It will- ftzzzzzz,” it started by fizzled out before.

As the squad moved, they noted a blue particle field running the entire length of the room. It split the room into two perfect halves. OS-853 recognized it as a particle field that they would use to sequester citizens from different parts of the cities, make gates, and to provide fencing and doors in their bases. Although this one looked more fluid. It was like water whereas the ones the Universal Union used in cities was more like static.

Nonetheless, the squad moved forward as one with purpose. The team had been walking with confidence that they would be allowed through the field without any issues in thanks to their built-in override chips in their helmets. They had only been half right.

With three in front and three in the back, they didn’t have any warning before their weapons were ripped from their hands and vaporized before their very eyes. The guns floated away in a blaze of white light and black ash as the soldiers could only look on in confusion. OS-853 cursed as the data he had in his head was scrambled into pieces. Along with their weapons, it had vaporized his data storage within his helmet, and the taste of blood filled his mouth. A prod of his tongue revealed two teeth were missing.

That field wasn’t like their fences at all but acted like their contraband confiscation fields in some of the citadels.

“Please note that smuggling non-test objects into the testing area is prohibited,” the voice cooed.

No. That wasn’t right. It had been so flat and mechanical before, but its tone of voice had suddenly changed? That couldn’t be right.

“Any non-test objects will be emancipated from the perpetrators,” it continued. The voice then followed it up with a laugh. A laugh? A laugh?!

“ _Move!_ ” the leader commanded before moving. OS-853 noted their commander’s vocoder had a new static sound to it. He blamed it on the emancipation field.

All six soldiers ran for the open door, but it slammed shut in their faces as they neared it. That voice chuckled once more, and a soft mechanical whirring filled the air. OS-853 looked around and noted two white cameras with glowing red lights were fixed on his squad. They had been watched from the beginning.

“The test is may be over,” the voice continued, only sounding a cross between amused and bored, “but please note that any attempts to leave the enrichment center will be met with disciplinary action.”

The group, despite not having weapons, grouped up with their backs to each other once more. It wouldn’t do much, but it would prevent anything from sneaking up on them.

“This charade has been fun, but it’s time to get back to business. Goodbye.”

There was a small sound of static and the voice left, the cameras drooped like dead flowers, and the room grew dark. The squad grew less tense as they believed the voice was letting them go.

Sadly, that was not the case.

At least a dozen panels around the room opened up from different points of the place. Despite the darkness, OS-853 could make out spherical objects mounted on three black legs. Red lights slowly came into focus, and a chorus of ‘hellos’ sounded off.

Thin red beams of light appeared and swiveled the room before each little robot had a laser on a squad member.

The last thought that OS-853 had before the sound of gunfire filled the air was, “Oh. They're turrets.”

 

Back in the main chamber, GlaDOS allowed herself a small giggle. “That was fun, now back to testing… Orange receives five science collaboration points.”

While she continued to observe the bots, a signal was attempting to ping her. It was incessant, foreign but familiar as well. Although annoyed, she tore her attention away from the cooperative robots to tune in to the signal.

There was a beat as she took it in.

“Hmm? Oh! Oh, this is just a turning out to be a _wonderful_ day.”

 

“Hey Gordon, check it out,” Alyx said while hunched over a sizeable, outdated console.

He scanned the hall once more and checked the door was secure before going to Alyx’s side.

After they had made their way onto the ship, the duo had made a point to find a control center, but not go near the bridge seeing as it most likely had large windows and they could be spotted by the Combine. That would open them up to potshots from the ground or if they managed to get on the deck.

So far they hadn’t heard any explosions or gunfire. Gordon believed they wouldn’t use any largescale explosives for they feared to damage what technology could be on board the ship.

They had eventually found the small room filled with a large console and several monitors. The part that had really drawn their attention was a flashing yellow light on the console itself. That meant the ship still had power! Alyx had pushed the flashing light, and the entire console had lit up like a Christmas tree. The light grew up brighter, and the screens above the console flickered into life to shine in their faces. Each one bared a yellow Aperture logo.

Turning his attention to the screens, Gordon watched with interest as equations and several pictures flashed across the screens. “Apparently this thing had been receiving data from Aperture Science for the last thirty-five years!”

Gordon looked confused for a moment until the time frame dawned on him.

“Dr. Kleiner once told me that Aperture disappeared from the public about twenty-five years, so why would there still be data transmitting from inside?” Alyx continued. She had a smile spread across her face as she continued to type across the console and brought up more data.

Gordon remembered when they went dark. One day they had been bragging how they were nearing a breakthrough just to rile Black Mesa’s feathers, then the next… nothing. It was all quiet. Gordon had thought it strange at the time but had continued with his work in Anomalous Materials like it was any other day.

“Strange thing is-” Alyx paused to pull up a graph with a red line going up and down then bottomed out before picking back up near the end of the chart.

“This graph shows the data over the last thirty-five years. You can see where the data slowly climbed from the moment they went dark then one huge spike, but then nothing until… only two weeks ago?”

Gordon continued to watch the screen but noticed Alyx pull her EMP device from her pocket. “Wonder if I can…” she trailed off while activating the device. A bright arc of electricity lit the room even brighter, then as soon as it appeared, it was gone. “Yes!”

Alyx smiled again as she began typing once more. “I'm pulling up security footage to get some video feed of what should have been causing the data spikes.”

A few seconds passed before grainy videos appeared on a multitude of screens. They slowly cleared up, but they all seemed to show the same thing. A woman in an orange jumpsuit with a strange device in her hands.

In some videos, she has boots and the jumpsuit tied around her waist while in others, she is barefoot with strange braces on her kneed and the jumpsuit fully on.

Gordon and Alyx were confused but glued to the screens. They watched as the woman would fly through the air and land unharmed in a seemingly impossible place from where she had been.

While they stood transfixed, a red light slowly came into being on the console, unseen by the two. It would blink in long intervals, fading in and out.

“I don’t understand. What is with these tapes? How can one woman cause so much data?” Alyx mumbled to herself.

“I’ve wondered a very similar thing,” a smooth electronic voice answered.

Both Gordon and Alyx jumped in surprise, one holding a pistol, the other a crowbar. They look around the room, but there was no sign of anyone.

The voice was a familiar one. Both Gordon and Alyx recognized it as the Overwatch Dispatch voice, but they knew something was different about it. It was smoother, less choppy and strung together. It still sounded electronic, but that could be due to it coming through an old speaker system.

“Why are _you_ trespassing on _my_ property?” the voice asked. Clear annoyance laced its tone.

“Who wants to know,” Alyx answered, but Gordon could tell she didn’t mean it as a question in turn.

“Aperture Science wants to know,” the voice answered with a hint of anger.

Gordon and Alyx shared a look, both equal parts surprise and confusion.

The voice made a humming sound as if in thought before speaking again. “Interesting… How did you find this place?”

Gordon shrugged his shoulders while Alyx shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. We are here because we need to use it.”

“So you are thieves, then-“

“We are not thieves!”

“Thieves _and_ liars it would seem,” the voice continued as if Alyx had not even spoken. “Now I told you who I am, now why don’t you introduce yourself?”

Alyx was clearly agitated, and Gordon wasn’t doing too much better. He looked around the room, for any sign of a camera. They must have been small or hidden better than he thought because he couldn’t find anything.

“I’m Alyx and this is Gordon-“

“Stop… No need for names because I don't care. I just realized who you are…” The voice interrupted. “There’s no need for the introductions anymore because I know you're with Black Mesa.”

“How do you know that?”

If silence could have a smug expression, then the voice would have it. “Because you just told me," she said with a smoothness that was like silk. When she spoke again, her tone changed to be matter-of-fact rather than the smugness from before. "And I recognize the tacky boots your silent friend is wearing. A Hazardous Environment Suit? Debuted by Black Mesa in the late nineties, although his model seems more advanced than the Mark Two I'm familiar with.”

Alyx grit her teeth in anger at the voice. “So you can see us, but we can’t see you. Just who the hell are you?”

The voice laughed. “Isn’t it obvious?”

One by one, lights in the room turned on and brightened, the door that had been locked before, unlocked then locked itself back. Gordon and Alyx moved to stand back to back, but there was no one else in the room that could be causing the power fluctuations.

“Are you in the bridge?” Alyx asked.

“Yes. I’m _also_ in this room with you. I’m on the deck. I’m in the motors. I’m _everywhere_ and _everything_ ,” the voice said, her voice oozing arrogance. "I _am_ Aperture Science."

The realization came slowly to the duo. To Alyx, it was dawning horror while Gordon is amazed at the implications. The voice wasn’t a person at all. It was a machine.

“I really should be thanking you,” she continued. “If it weren’t for you activating the security tapes, I probably never would have found this place.”

There was a slight hum through the entire ship that seemed to grow in volume until there was a shift in the very foundation. Gordon and Alyx grabbed onto each other for support to keep from falling to the ground.

“Thanks to you, I have been able to fully integrate myself into the system. The Borealis is online and _fully_ operational.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we have a meeting, but not the one you were expecting, huh?
> 
> Just what will GLaDOS do with two Black Mesa trespassers? Based on that scouting party... So are they in trouble with GLaDOS and the ship coming online? Guess you'll just have to wait...
> 
> As always, comments are loved and if you want to chat, you can find me on tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or on discord at portalsandart


	23. Chapter 23

Chell awoke to someone nudging her with a boot. Her instincts kicked in and she rolled to her stomach, grabbing her bag in the process, ready for a fight. Her eyes became steel as she focused in on her would be attacker. Only instead of an attack, it was a surprised looking Jackson.

“Easy, girl. Just me,” he said, hands up in a placating manner.

Chell’s shoulders eased the tension they held, but she refused to put her bag down. “What?”

“Why are you out here? You should be sleeping inside,” he said.

She responded with a shake of her head. “Too crowded. Hate that. I don’t like being underground either.”

“Tough shit, girly. Can’t help that it's cramped, and the underground keeps us out of sight,” he went on. “Come on. We need to talk.”

Chell slowly followed after him, both curious and unsure of what Jackson wants from her. He led her over to one of the mounds and disappears down inside. She paused for a moment but nonetheless followed him down. The inside was filled with boxes and piles of equipment. She didn’t focus much on her surroundings because she didn’t think it to be necessary.

Chell rolled her eyes as she sat on top of a wooden crate with her pack in her lap. “What do you want?”

Jackson stayed in place as his arms went to cross over his chest. “First off… I apologize for the rough treatment yesterday. Second, I need to know if you plan on staying or not. Didn’t want to have this conversation in the open because I didn’t want Sylvia to find out.”

“You don’t want us here?”

Jackson shook his head. “No. Not like that. I need to know so I can make plans. Syl wouldn’t like me asking this is all.”

Chell frowned but understood his logic. He was in charge and would need to know what to do for the future. She then shook her head and sighed, “No. I don’t plan on staying. I don’t know about Mel, but I can’t stay here.”

“And what if she does want to stay?”

Chell went quiet as she thought it over. She barely knew Mel, but they had the shared experience of Aperture and that made her hesitant.

“I’ll have to talk to her about it. No matter what happens, I don’t belong here,” Chell stated firmly.

She didn’t belong. She didn’t like being underground in the dirt or prowling around in the woods. She couldn’t stay there, or she would risk being complacent again. There was something she was missing from the camp, but Chell couldn’t figure it out, and that is what made her angry about the entire thing. She didn’t belong there and she couldn’t understand why.

“Let me know when you do. We could use more hands,” Jackson said before walking out of the storage mound.

Chell was left in the semi-darkness and musty air. There was a stale scent in the air that was strangely familiar but sickening at the same time Wandering through the piles of crates and tools, Chell focused on that smell. It led her to a corner furthest from the opening and a burlap sack.

Stooping down, Chell pulled back the flap of the sack and frowned at the sight. Potatoes. Old potatoes with eyes and long stalks of growth sprouting from said eyes. There was no telling how long they had been there, but the smell gave Chell indication.

 

_"Look at that, it's growing right up into the ceiling. The whole place is probably overrun with potatoes at this point. At least you won't starve, though."_

 

It was no wonder the smell was familiar. That mustiness that hung in the air was the same as the hallways of the daycare center of Aperture. It always came back to potatoes. That stupid project brought Chell to a near breaking point. Seeing her name written in such childish handwriting.

It could have been a coincidence, but nothing ever was when it came to her. It wasn’t a common name, but it had given her some sort of idea of who she is or had been. She had a father that worked at Aperture. The daycare center still had the projects set up so something must have happened for that area to be sealed off.

 

_Take your daughter to work day. That did not end well._

 

What happened on Take your Daughter to Work Day? Something was tugging at the back of Chell’s mind telling her that she should know but she couldn’t. The door was still locked tight, and she was unable to access them. All that is needed is to find the key, the vortigaunts had said. Her key must have been tossed into the incinerator back in Aperture for all her luck.

Chell tossed the potato with no care back into the sack and stood up. There was dried dirt on her hands from the potato, so she proceeded to wipe it off on her pants. She was still in the jeans from the apartment complex near Aperture and finding a better fitting pair would be nice. Her hips had started to chafe due to the ill-fitting denim and belt. Maybe a new coat as well, she thought as she poked at the bullet holes in her current jacket.

Wandering back out into the open air, Chell enjoyed the sunlight filtering down on her skin. She didn’t ever want to take the sky for granted because she knew what it could become. It could all be taken away if you aren’t careful.

Going back to the main bunk area, Chell dropped her mat on a pile of others before looking for Mel. A quick scan of the area showed that she was already gone. Sighing, she left the bunk area and wandered back into the sun.

Seeing the vortigaunts, Chell smiled before moving towards them. They were talking amongst themselves in a deep guttural tone that Chell could not understand. Upon seeing her, they nodded in greetings, “Hello, Chell. Did you enjoy your night?”

She nodded with a smile. “I did. Have either of you seen Mel? I haven’t seen her this morning.”

“Yes. This one has seen Mel leave with other rebels on a patrol,” orange eye said.

“Oh. Oh, ok,” Chell said.

She’d just wait until later to talk to her.

“Why does the Traveler look troubled?”

Chell looked back to wrinkles and frowned. “It’s not a big deal.”

“But it’s enough to disturb you. Why?” Orange eye continued.

Chell pursed her lips and sighed. “It’s this place. I can’t stay here.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

The question actually took Chell off guard. She hadn’t expected the vortigaunts to challenge her in such a way, or to make her think on her actions.

Did she want to leave or did she have to leave?

In the end, she didn’t want to face the answer yet. Instead, Chell changed the topic.

“You mentioned last night that you don’t have names. Why is it that no one has given you names yet?”

Orange eye was the one to answer. “We have not traveled with a human as long as we have traveled with you. Moments are passing yet live on in the minds of all. We have met humans who had been nothing more than blips in the great cosmic view. Yet they live still within the universe. We have not taken names for we have never needed them before.”

Chell frowned. She didn’t fully understand what he meant, but she could feel the deeper meaning behind it all. Even with the flashes of memory that she had been plagued with in part to their history lesson, she could understand how one person could flicker out of view but be back the next.

“Names ensure you can be remembered. With a name, you aren’t just another face in a crowd,” Chell managed to say.

In Aperture, she was a test subject. She had a number and a jumpsuit. On her tumultuous journey through the relaxation center at the whims of Wheatley, she had seen the other metal boxes containing what used to be test subjects. They had names at one point, but none of the containers had a name on the outside. Only a barcode, numbers, and check-boxes indicating the bare essentials of what someone could be.

She refused to be stripped down to a face. She had a name, and she would give them a name too. She didn’t want them to be just a ‘vortigaunt’ among many.

“Would you be okay with me giving you a name?” Chell asked. Her voice firm but not commanding.

The vortigaunts turned to each other and shared a look but then their mouths curled up in that expression Chell assumed to be a smile. “As we said last night. Any name given by a friend shall be cherished.”

Chell smiled softly and gave a single nod of her head. She then approached wrinkles. She didn’t know if this needed to be a serious ceremony type event or if she should be casual about it. She opted for a mixture. She placed a single hand on his shoulder and said, “Apollo. I’m happy to know you as a friend, Apollo.”

Apollo nodded his head at Chell in understanding. “This one graciously accepts their name.”

Chell returned the nod before placing a hand on orange eye’s shoulder. “And Crow. I’m happy to know you.”

“As well, I am gracious to accept a name from you,” he answered.

Crow and Apollo. Her saviors, protectors, companions, guides, and friends.

 

 

Two hours later, Chell was sitting in the nearby creek behind several tarps. The rebels had a rudimentary bathing area. It boiled down to lengths of rope and cable lashed between trees then large tarps draped over the cables for privacy.

Chell had been lucky to arrive without anyone else being around. She left the jacket on a large rock along with her holey shirt and pants. She left her sports bra on and the shorts as well in case anyone decided to pay a visit.

She scrubbed the days of sweat and dirt from her skin and sat fully in the water. It came up to her ribs when she sat down. It had been warmed by the summer sun and felt nice. Pulling at her hair tie, Chell let her hair fall around her shoulders but most of it hung in a knotted clump. Taking a deep breath, Chell leaned back into the water, submerging her entire body. She then began to scrub at her scalp and hair. Although she didn’t have any soap, just having the water in her hair and working at the knots made her feel cleaner.

Needing air, she raised back up. Her hair plastered itself to her shoulders and neck, but it no longer hung in matted clumps like it did before. She repeated the process with her two more times before she felt like she was clean enough. Without a towel, Chell clambered up onto the bank of the stream and sat on a flat rock to dry.

It was a short time later that Chell heard footsteps approaching. She was prepared to run again but relaxed when she saw a face poke out from behind the tarp.

She recognized the face as one of the medics that led the vortigaunts away from the APC when the group first arrived at the camp.

The medic was a woman who looked to be in her forties with graying hair and brown eyes. She had a bundle under her arm and seemed surprised to see Chell sitting on the bank.

“Oh, hi. I didn’t expect anyone else to be out here,” she said. She had a southern, but from where exactly, Chell couldn’t say. “Name’s Sid. Mind if I do some work?”

Chell shook her head as she stayed rooted to her rock.

“Thanks. So whatcha think ‘bout our set up here? Not too bad, eh?” Sid asked as she unfolded her bundle. Said bundle turned out to be a pile of clothes wrapped in a large canvas tarp and what looked like an antique washboard.

“It’s nice.” Chell left it blunt and to the point.

Sid picked up a shirt and flicked her wrists to make it flutter before settling down onto her knees next to the water. She then dunked the shirt in the water and started rubbing it against the washboard.

“Quiet type, huh? Not a problem. But since you’re sitting there all pretty, why not give me a hand here?” Sid asked, not taking her eyes from the laundry.

Looking at her hands, Chell slowly slid off the rock and moved over to Sid’s side. She thought it best to help even if she didn’t plan on sticking around.

“Thanks. Now we only got the one board, so I’m gonna scrub, but I want you to wring everything out and drape it over that line-“ she pointed to a lone cable that was draped between two trees, “-for them to dry. You got it?”

Chell nodded her head and took the shirt from Sid and began to squeeze all the water she could from the fabric, then she’d drape them from the wire. It was a process that had a good rhythm. By the time Sid had an article of clothing scrubbed, Chell would have one rung out and hanging to dry.

As they worked, Chell found out that Sid would hum to herself while working. Chell found herself enjoying the warmth.

“Say,” Sid said, finally breaking the string of not talking, “you ever think about the future?”

“Huh?”

“The future. What you want from it?”

Chell was caught off guard. That had been happening a lot lately, and she didn’t care for it. The question also made her think when she was used to reacting on instinct. She liked having time to think though.

The question wasn’t a cut and dry thing. It was broad and contained a multitude of possibilities for her. The most significant aspect that she had always wanted from the moment she woke up in Aperture the first time had remained the same.

“Freedom,” she responded.

Sid seemed to ponder it for a second before nodding her head and smiling. “I hear that. I remember life before the Combine showed up. You’re such a young thing, you couldn’t have been no older than a few years, so you probably never knew much about freedom.”

Chell wrung more water out of a shirt and used it to disguise the tension in her hands. Squeezing it gave her a cover. “You’re right…”

“Well, once we do have our freedom back, what do you plan on doing?”

And once more, Chell was forced to think. She hadn’t thought of any long-term goals. She had only focused on two to three things max. Get her freedom, take down whoever was in charge, then run as fast as possible. Whether it was Aperture or the surface, her short-term goals had not changed.

What was she supposed to do if the so-called rebellion did push the combine out? Chell was nothing more than a mouse caught in a maze, forever trying to find the way out. Turning one corner, thinking it’s an exit, but only finding herself blocked into another corner.

“I don’t know,” Chell finally said. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

Sid seemed to study Chell for a moment before turning her head and getting back to work. “That’s alright. Not everyone has an idea of what they want, but it helps keep you focused,” she smiled sadly. “As long as you have an idea, then you’ll find your way.”

Freedom? But what was Chell willing to do to achieve that?

 

 

Mel smiled brightly while wiping at her brow with the back of her hand. She most likely smeared dirt across her skin in the effort to wipe the sweat away, but it felt good to be using her hands again.

She had a pile of grubs resting on a tattered piece of cloth that used to be a shirt but was more holes than fabric at the moment. Folding it up, she used it as a makeshift basket and walked several yards into the woods before unceremoniously upending the grubs into the dirt.

As long as they were away from the garden and the birds were enticed by the prospect of food, then the camp wouldn’t have as much trouble. Without proper farming equipment or some good pesticide, she had to make do. If she could find the materials, Mel thought she might even make a few birdhouses just to try and get them to stay around and tend to the garden pests.

Tucking the rag to hang from her new belt, Mel walked back into the central area of the camp. She was just in time to see Chell walking back with one of the other rebels. Mel waved at her before jogging to catch up.

She had managed to finally rip that spring from her boot that morning and she no longer felt like she was going to trip from the unequal bounce of each foot.

“Chell! Where’ve you been?”

Chell did her usual shrug and smiled, “Went to bathe. Met Sid there and helped her with laundry.”

Mel was happy to see that Chell was getting along. Although they barely knew each other, she wanted to see the other girl happy. Based on what she had learned, Chell seemed to have had a tougher time in Aperture that herself.

Although she was kind enough, Chell often felt like a wall. She had her emotions and thoughts locked deep beneath the surface and would only show her anger or indifference around people. Mel wanted Chell to get away from that.

That is also why Mel could see that Chell was hiding something. She wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to approach it.

With a sigh, Mel grabbed onto Chell’s arm and started guiding her to a more secluded area. It just happened to be the bunk she had slept in the previous night.

“Okay, chickadee… what’s on your mind?”

“I can’t stay,” she said without a hint of emotion.

Mel’s stomach dropped. There was a weight in her body caused by three little words. She slowly let the smile fall before putting her hands together, fingers interlocked. “Can’t or won’t?”

Chell looked taken back at first but finally shook her head. “Is there a difference?”

“Is there- of course there is! Chell, do you not see what this place is? It’s safe!” Mel was gesturing wildly with her hands and eyes wide. She couldn’t understand why Chell would

Chell only shook her head. “No. It’s not safe here. Not while I’m here at least. The longer we stay, the better chance _they_ have of finding us!”

“This place is hidden-“

“How much did you tell the soldiers about Aperture?” Chell interrupted.

Mel had her mouth half open in response before closing it and relaxing. She shook her head in response. “Everything I know… It amounted less to what you know, but… but I had no choice.”

Chell didn’t look angry. She didn’t even look sad. She looked… contemplative. “They were going to kill you. Did you know that?”

Mel closed her eyes and slowly nodded her head.

“If _they_ find you, they will kill you. If they find me, I’ll be killed. We might even be tortured first…”

Mel saw Chell’s expression change for a moment as she reached up and touched one of her shoulders.

“But I can’t let them have that chance. If they find us here, then everyone else will be in danger. We can’t be free of them until we are sure they can’t find us,” Chell continued.

"That's if they find us! I'm _useful_ here, Chell. I know farming. I'm a fast runner. I know how to live out here. I can _be_ someone! But out there? I'm out of place. The world is so much different than when I went to sleep. It's different for you too, but you... You have moxie. Based on what I've seen and heard about you, you are the bravest person I've ever met. I'm not like you."

Mel pursed her lips and shook her head. She didn’t want to leave. She felt the first moment of peace since her goodbye to Virgil and now she was expected to leave it behind? She couldn’t do that. Not after everything.

Chell’s head bowed slightly, and eyes narrowed. She rubbed her temples before sighing in defeat. “Do you truly want to stay?”

Mel nodded her head.

Before Chell could respond, a gravelly voice cut in, "We are sorry to intrude, but we have been searching for you, but we apologize for eavesdropping."

Chell and Mel looked up to see Apollo and Crow approaching.

"We wish to say, that even if you separate and the distance between you grows, there is no need to worry. You two shall never remain apart," Crow said. He reached out and placed a hand on each of the girls' shoulders and gave a smile.

Mel and Chell looked to each other and frowned. The anger that Chell felt when Mel didn't want to leave abated while the helplessness that Mel felt lessened.

Mel then opened up her arms and smiled, "If you plan on leaving, I expect a proper goodbye."

That caused Chell to let out a small laugh as she stepped forward and hugged Mel.

Despite only knowing her for a short while, it was the shared horrors and experiences that allowed them to become friends. GLaDOS had once said Chell was a bitter unlikable loner with no friends, but the surface had changed that. She was making friends all over the place.

When Chell finally let go of Mel, the two women only looked at each other. A silent understanding of what was to come. It may be the last time they see each other, but the vortigaunts were right. They wouldn't be apart. Not truly. With that, they joined hands and began walking out into the sun in search of Jackson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so some things are said, some names are given, and a plan is shaping. It's a shame the dynamic duo was short lived...
> 
> I also want to apologize for the late posting of this chapter. Real life got in the way, and this chapter was really difficult to write for me. I rewrote it at least five times before I was satisfied with all of it.
> 
> All the same, I hope you enjoyed it and as always; reviews are appreciated, and if you want to chat, you can find me on Tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com or on discord at portalsandart


	24. Chapter 24

"I don't want you pushing yourself like you did before, you got that?"

Barney smiled and nodded at Sven, "Yeah, yeah. I got it."

Sven narrowed his eyes at Barney before looking over at the other guy. He almost looked like a kid he was so young. "You his friend?"

Adrian perked up from where he had been passively watching Barney in his checkup with the brawny medical officer. He had sized the man up and knew it best to stay out of his way and keep a low profile. The years had been rough on the guy, from what Shepherd had noticed.

"You could say that," Adrian replied.

Sven nodded at him, "Then you in charge of making sure he eats and gets some sleep. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Adrian said. He felt the need to salute but managed to prevent it. This guy was definitely not his superior officer.

As they left the med bay, Adrian looked at Barney out the corner of his eye and smiled. Barney looked happier but at the same time annoyed. It's like he could tell what was on Adrian's mind.

"Don't even think about it, Thunderdome," Barney started.

"I wasn't going to. I just think it-"

"Don't-"

"Kind of dumb for someone to overexert themselves-"

"Just stop-"

"To the point of passing out in the hallway," Adrian concluded, smugness spread across his face.

Barney pushed the young man but not enough to hurt him. "Aw shut up. Not like I was hurting anyone… except myself."

Adrian shook his head at the man. "No. You hurt everyone when you don't take care of yourself. If you can't take care of yourself, how can you take care of everyone around you?"

Barney ignored Adrian. He didn't have to deal with the former marine talking to him like that.

As they walked, Adrian smirked to himself. He took the silence from Calhoun as a win in his book. As they rounded a corner, they met a rebel coming their way.

"Oh hey, Maya," Barney said.

Maya? Oh! Adrian remembered that name from when he was being interrogated the day he arrived. That meant… Oops.

She looked at Adrian with sharp blue eyes. He sent her a nervous smile before looking away while rubbing the back of his neck. She was the one he had kneed in the stomach when he found the camp.

"Hey, Calhoun. Dr. Magnusson wants to see you," she explained and sidestepped the both of them. As she walked away, she shoulder-checked Adrian.

He turned to look at her and managed to say, "Sorry about before…"

If she heard, she didn't react.

Barney looked at Adrian and shrugged his shoulders, "Okay. Let's go see what the good doctor needs."

Adrian followed Barney, thumb flicking over his finger like a lighter the entire way.

The lab was just as Adrian saw it last time. Two scientists and an alien working diligently in different areas of a large room. Kleiner was examining several pages of paper and had drawn graphs before comparing them to a computer monitor. Magnusson had a strange device on a table that was about the size of a beachball and looked like it had two pie tins attached to each side.

"Ah, Calhoun. It is always good to see you," the alien said.

"Thanks, Uriah. It's good to be appreciated," Barney laughed. He then turned to Magnusson who was wiping the grease off his hand with an oil soaked rag. "You needed to see me, doc?"

Magnusson straightened up and nodded. "Yes, Calhoun. I have a job for you. Shouldn't be too strenuous considering your current condition-"

"Actually-"Barney tried to cut in, but Magnusson continued undeterred.

"-but I think even you could do this. Bring the soldier with you if it makes you feel better," Magnusson said as he picked up a small rectangular box from his desk and handing it over to Barney. "I need you to take that car that Freeman arrived in out to one of our outposts. There's some interference, and I need it fixed immediately."

Barney sighed as he knew there would be no getting out of this. Magnusson's word was law in White Forest. "And the box?"

"Glad you asked. It's a signal booster and scrambler. It will enable us to listen in on combine channels without detection as well as spread the signal to a much greater distance. If it works, we could potentially open up communication with Dr. Green and Dr. Rosenberg again," he explained while organizing the tools on his desk.

Rosenberg… Barney hadn't seen him in nearly eight years. They had escaped Black Mesa together, and they had stuck together for the longest time until he was shipped off to City17 for a civil protection transfer. With Barney's help, they had established a link between the East and West, but with the destruction of the citadel, no one could establish contact with them.

Barney tucked the box under his arm and nodded, "You got it, doc, but it's probably just a birds nest in the wires."

"Even still, I want you out there to fix it," Magnusson huffed.

Kleiner looked to the men and shook his head. "Now Magnusson-"

"What are you waiting on, Calhoun? Get going," Magnusson said before Kleiner could finish.

Not wanting to get between them and another argument, Barney vacated the lab as soon as possible. Adrian followed behind.

Looking to the soldier, Barney made a motion to get his attention. "Here's your chance. Prove to me that you are willing to work with us. Be my copilot out there."

Adrien froze for a moment at Barney's words. He figured he would go with him, but he was going to be proving his self while with him? He cursed himself for thinking it would only take his story of Black Mesa to gain the trust of the others. He didn't think he would achieve it from the scientists, but he at least thought he might have had Barney's.

Nothing could be changed about it anymore, and it wasn't like he had a choice. No way would Barney leave him behind in the base.

"Fine. Let's get going," Adrian said.

Barney nodded and retook the lead. He led the way to a part of the base that Adrien hadn't been to before and stopped in front of a large metal door. As he typed in a numerical code into the keypad, the door hissed and slid open to reveal the armory.

The room was lined with MP5 and 7s, shotguns, a multitude of handguns, and stacks of ammo caches. Along with the firearms, there were piles of crude melee weapons. There was rebar, lead pipes, and carved wooden clubs. It wasn't nearly as impressive as the armory back at his base in Arizona, but it was remarkable for a rebellion using guerilla warfare.

Adrian watched as Barney picked up a strange double-barreled rifle and attached a strap to it. Adrian was about to grab one as well, but a hand seized his wrist.

"I don't think so," Calhoun said, not taking his eyes off his rifle.

Adrian ripped his hand from Barney's grasp, "You expect me to go back out there without a gun?"

"Sure do," Barney replied. He lifted the rifle up to look down the sights. He grabbed a couple extra clips of ammo for it and stowed them into his ammo pouch.

"Fuck you," Adrian grumbled.

He attempted to grab one of the pistols but was blocked as Barney took a step to the side. "No gun of any kind for you."

Adrian had to restrain himself from ramming Barney into the stacks of guns. That would wind him up in another holding cell without the chance of getting out based on the attitudes of the scientists.

Stomping over to the melee weapon racks, Adrian got a good look at each thing. He wanted something in the field. He wouldn't feel complete or safe without some form of defense on his person. As he browsed, his eyes caught sight of something shiny.

Looking back, Adrian saw that Barney was distracted and deciding between two different handguns. With quick hands, Adrian grabbed the prize and crouched down to act like he was tying one of his boots. Instead, he secured the straps of his award around his ankle. He tightened the straps and made sure the knife was secured in its sheath before standing up again. It was small, but it helped make him feel better.

"Alright, I'm ready," Barney said as he slung the rifle over his head to hang by the strap.

Adrian looked at the man and noticed he held the rifle in the correct position at rest. At least someone knew how to do it.

A short walk later and they were in a large garage and sliding into a beat-up yellow muscle car. It cranked with a deafening roar of the engine, and they sped off fast enough to push Adrian back into his seat.

The drive was quiet, but not unbearable. Despite the mild confrontation in the armory, Adrian found himself enjoying the scenery around White Forest. The mountains and thick forest were a welcome change from the craggy rocks and desert surrounding his former base. It was a far better place to be than the gray corridors of Black Mesa or the void he'd been in before.

His time in the void may have felt like a few minutes, but nothing could hide that he'd been away for years. It was a place he never wanted to return to. He'd sooner put a bullet in his own head than to go back.

At one point, Adrian saw a small pack of the strange dog-like things with the multitude of eyes. They chased after the car for a minute before giving up and trotting back into the trees. The world had become a strange place.

An hour after they left, Barney pulled the car up to a small encampment. There was a squat one-story building that had seen better days. It was composed mainly of rotting and termite damaged wood, corrugated tin roof, and plywood covering the windows.

About thirty yards of separation from the building was a tall tower with a ladder leading up to a small metal platform that had an array of wires and receiving dishes. Despite the appearance of the building, the tower was in remarkably good shape aside from a few rust spots here and there.

As they slid from the car, Barney stalked over to the tower and craned his head back to look at the top. It was about a thirty-foot climb to the platform, and with how the tower was built, a trapdoor was used to reach the top. That prevented Barney from getting a good look unless someone climbed. _'Aw hell_ ,' he thought to himself.

"I'm going to climb up there and see what's going on. You stay down here and keep watch, okay?"

Adrian grunted in agreement as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the hood of the car. Barney watched him for a moment before setting to his task.

As Barney climbed, Adrian immediately took the older man's distraction to get a better look around.

With Barney distracted with his climb, Adrian walked over to the building and inspected the door. He didn't open it because his eyes were drawn to broken glass resting on the outside of the building. He crouched down and rummaged through it before looking up to the window itself.

There was a spider web of glass branching out from a circular hole in the window. With the glass on the outside, the break had to have happened from inside the building. Adrian prodded at the hole and frowned when he felt small splinters poking at his finger.

He thought he had somehow broken the skin as when he pulled his finger back, the tip was red. A quick wipe revealed it to not be him, but his eyes were fixed on the building, then back to Barney. Testing it again, Adrian touched the hole and felt a tension in his stomach as once more, there was red on his finger.

Taking a step back, Adrian crouched to take the knife from his ankle and moved to stand at the corner of the building, away from the windows and door.

"Calhoun," he whisper-yelled.

Barney didn't hear him as he was busy trying to pry open the trapdoor of the platform.

Adrian cursed as he looked back to the door over his shoulder. "Calhoun," he called again, a little louder.

Barney was struggling with the trapdoor, unable to focus on Adrian calling his name.

"Fuck," Adrian mumbled and moved over to the door. He pressed a hand against it and got ready. He could fight alone, but he would rather have Barney prepared as well if his hunch was correct.

Moving to the car, he searched the floorboards but gave up when he realized there wasn't even a pistol left behind.

Growing tired of it, Adrian jogged to be directly below Barney and yelled out to him. "Calhoun!"

At that moment, three things happened.

Barney managed to get the trapdoor open with a cry of triumph.

The door to the building exploded outwards by a powerful kick.

A loud mechanical roar echoed in the clearing.

Adrian focused on the matter closest at hand; the three, heavily armed, soldiers in black gasmasks filing out of the small building with guns drawn. Having the feeling that something was about to happen, he leaped behind the car and out of sight of the soldiers. It wasn't the most ideal of hiding spots, but it would provide cover until he could make his move.

While up in the tower, Barney scrambled up the rest of the way and shut the trapdoor behind him. If he were lucky, the combine bastards wouldn't have seen him. It's too bad Barney had the worst luck imaginable. Not even two seconds later were bullets pinging off the tower and his hiding place.

"Son of a bitch," Barney sighed with exasperation.

Hearing the shots, Adrian peaked his head over the car and saw two of them focused on the tower. Wait, two? Where was the-

"Don't move," the synthesized voice growled

Ah, there it was.

Adrian turned his head to see the third soldier, his MP7 fixed on Adrian's chest. He reacted without thinking. With one hand, Adrian shoved his hand into the barrel of the gun and pushed it away hard while he threw his entire body weight into the soldier.

The two grappled for control, but Adrian managed to get the upper hand by shoving his knife into the ribs of the soldier. He then twisted his body around so that his torso pressed against the soldiers back and legs wrapped tightly around the waist, Adrian used his arms to wring the neck of the soldier quickly and forcefully.

There was an audible snap then a high pitch whine filled the air. One down.

Hearing their comrade perish caused the two soldiers that were focused on Barney to turn their attention on Adrian.

' _Ah shit_ ,' he thought before scrambling out of the way of their bullets.

Barney could only watch from his perch as the bullets burrowed their way into the dirt as Adrian rolled his body out of the way. From under his breath, he mumbled, "Move, dammit…"

They were going in a large circle around the car. If it weren't for his vantage point, Barney would have thought Adrian was panicking and acting on impulse, but he could see what the kid was doing. Despite the erratic and large circle they were moving, Adrian was moving back to where the first soldier dropped his gun.

Adrian grunted in pain as he felt some bullets clip into his back, but he didn't stop moving. He had to get the gun or her was good as dead. There was a burning sensation in his ass just as he grabbed onto the gun. Did they seriously shoot him in the _ass_?

They _shot_ him in the _ass_!

With a roar, he began to fire widely at the approaching soldiers. The bullets fanned and spread in a wide arc, catching one soldier in the shoulder, but the other went down in a crumpled heap of fabric and flesh.

The third soldier didn't stop. It ran forward and kicked the gun from Adrian's hands. The gun went sailing and bounced across the dirt to rest at ten feet away from Adrian.

' _Fucking shit_ ,' Adrian thought as the soldier brought his gun level with his head.

Three high powered blasts echoed around the clearing. Adrian froze then checked over his body. No more bullet wounds? Then a fourth boom sounded, followed by that high-pitched whine.

The last soldier fell to the ground.

"You alright, Shep?"

Looking to the tower, Adrian could see Barney had the strange rifle propped up in his direction. Adrian saluted the man before going to retrieve his knife.

"Yeah…" He paused to look down at the soldier that Barney had killed. He scowled before rearing back a leg and kicking the corpse with all his might. "Fucker. That's for shooting me in the ass!"

He didn't get two steps away when that loud mechanical chirping filled his ears again only much closer. Too close.

Turning in the direction of the noise, Adrian saw what looked like a giant three-legged bug. It had a blue carapace covering its back and each leg, three tiny eyes, and two large glowing blue holes situated in the front of its body. Each of the legs ended in rounded hoof with a sharp barb jutting out. Beneath the bright blue holes, there looked to be some sort of vestigial limb covered in metal.

In Adrian's opinion… It looked like a pain in the ass. Dammit.

It fixed its tiny eyes on him before emitting another loud chirp and charged like a bull. Adrian didn't have any time to react before he found himself flying through the air and colliding with the side of the car.

He looked around in a daze as he struggled to stand up. No weapon, no idea what that thing is, and nowhere near as fast. "Fuck this…"

Barney could only watch in horror as Adrian dragged his body into the car and started the engine. He shook his head in disbelief that the man was actually trying to leave him. Even as the car sped away down the road, he couldn't think.

It took several of the exploding planchets from the hunter being shot his way for him to shake out of the stupor.

With a mighty roar, Barney unloaded his pulse rifle at the hunter. Even as the clips ran dry and he only managed to make the hunter bleed a trivial amount of white blood, he continued to scream. "Adrian! You dirty rotten traitorous-" He stopped as a familiar sound was getting closer once more.

"-beautiful son a bitch!" A smile spread across Barney's face as he saw the yellow muscle car speed back up the road. The hunter spun to see the car barreling towards it and was in the process of moving out of the way. It wasn't fast enough to outrun the vehicle once Adrian hit the turbo boost.

Barney laughed to himself till he got the hiccups when he saw the hunter get hit with full force from the car. Adrian slammed on the breaks, and the car drifted sideways to a stop.

Hopping out of the car, Adrian waved up at Barney, "You good?"

Barney laughed as he shot Adrian his middle finger. "Yeah…" he hiccupped.

With the danger past, Barney quickly set up the array they had been sent to do and climbed down from the tower right after. He strode right up to Adrian before shoving him right in the chest. "Bastard. Don't scare me like that again."

Adrian laughed as he felt no strength behind Barney's push. "Sorry, man. Kind of hard to do anything without the right caliber of weapon." He then used his thumb to indicate the car over his shoulder. "Just needed something a bit bigger."

"Yeah, yeah… whatever," Barney sighed. He then let out another hiccup that resulted in both men laughing. "Come on. Let's finish up here."

They wandered into the building the combine had been hiding in to see a horrible sight. Two dead rebels both having bullet holes through the center of their foreheads. The exit wound to one had been through the plywood and glass that Adrian had been inspecting minutes prior. Barney frowned as they dragged their bodies outside.

While Barney finished up the work at a communication terminal, Adrian looked around. In a corner, he found two strange metal boxes attached to the wall. They were both black, but one had an orange glow to it while the other had a blue glow and a red cross stenciled on. Inspecting the closer, he found a port attachment and toyed with it.

He had a moment of enlightenment as he grabbed the port and plugged it into his PCV, only fumbling a moment as he accidentally attempted to put it in upside down. Looking at the electronic display, he watched as the numbers climbed from 15 percent all the way to 90. Doing the same thing with the second machine, he saw his health rating go from 70 percent to 100.

A moment later, he heard the sound of something small land on the wooden floor and bounce away. Looking down, he found the bullet that had hit him had been pushed out. Touching the spot, he was pleased to feel that the skin was already closing up. He put the spent bullet in his pocket.

While still crouched down, he noticed a red box had been slid under the table that Barney was using. Feeling curious, Adrian reached out and took it. Upon opening it, he sighed in frustration but acceptance at the same time. He grabbed the contents before sliding it into one of the loops on his vest.

"Alright, I'm done here. Ready to go?" Barney asked.

Standing to his feet, hand resting on his prize, Adrian nodded. "Yeah, boss."

"Good. Let's get going," he replied.

As the two fell in line, Adrian looked curiously at the new attachment to Adrian's side. "What's with that thing?"

Adrian patted the red pipe wrench and shrugged, "You know? In case someone needs a plumber."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, nothing gains trust like saving each other and seeing each other fight. Do you know what I learned when writing this chapter? Those blue dots on a hunter aren't the eyes! That's where its planchets are launched from. It actually has three tiny eyes on its left side next to the planchet launchers.
> 
> As always, reviews are appreciated and if you want to chat, you can find me on tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


	25. Chapter 25

The scenery passed by with a serenity that Chell tried to absorb in all the fleeting moments on the surface. Trees gave way to mountain ranges that gave way to rolling hills.

They had left the camp before sunrise that morning, and Chell was still thinking of how her goodbye.

 

_“You sure about this?”_

_“Yeah. Are you sure you want to stay?” Chell mumbled while shifting her pack over her shoulder._

_Mel nodded as she loaded a second bag into the APC for Chell, “Alright, I’ll do what I can to stay in touch.”_

_Chell smiled at that as she set her back into the driver seat. “You better.”_

_“I’ll also try to keep tabs on Aperture, but you promise to be safe?”_

_Chell’s smile became a little tense. “I’ll try, but safety isn’t a guarantee.”_

_Mel chuckled before pulling Chell into a tight embrace._

_As they pulled away from the hug, Mel kept a hand on Chell’s arm as she helped the girl into the vehicle. “Your chariot awaits. Now be sure to stay on the beam, and don’t get pinched or offed, got it?”_

_“Got it,” Chell said, starting the APC up._

_“Good. Now scram,” Mel smiled with a tension in her lips and eyes._

_As she pulled away from Mel, Chell looked into a screen on the dashboard that showed a camera view of what was directly behind that vehicle. Standing thirty feet back, Chell thought she saw someone in a suit step behind a tree._

 

The more she thought about it, the more confused Chell became if she actually saw what she thought she saw. A person in a suit walking through the woods seemed crazy considering most people she saw were wearing refurbished civil protection vests and blue denim shirts.

In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that it was just a rebel not wearing a vest at the time. There was no way someone would be wearing a business suit in the middle of the forest.

“The Traveler shall wish to turn right ahead. We can feel our kin nearby,” Apollo said from the front seat. They had been quietly meditating for so long that Chell had thought they had fallen asleep.

She still didn’t understand what she offered the vortigaunts. They gave her everything. Protection, guidance, and companionship, yet she had nothing to offer. Back in Aperture, she at least had common goals with Wheatley and GLaDOS. Wheatley wanted out of the facility before it exploded and then to help Chell escape. GLaDOS wanted back in power and to keep the facility from exploding as well.

Strange how often the facility seemed to want to explode…

But with the vortigaunts? Chell couldn’t figure them out. What did she have to offer that made them want to stay with her?

When would she stop asking questions and start getting some answers?

Taking the turn like Apollo instructed, the two turned down an overgrown dirt road. It was slow going and every bump nearly made Chell fly out of her seat and smack her head on the roof, but they eventually found some flatter ground. The road was lined with a thick canopy of trees on each side, so when Chell turned a corner and they opened up, she had to slam on the breaks with what she saw.

In the distance, taller than anything she had ever seen, was a black metal spire reaching up to the clouds. With sleek sides and long, thick cables hanging off like vines, it stood like a dark shadow watching over all. The throne of darkness that eats everything; the all-seeing eye. A testament to a world that is under the control of a more powerful force. Chell hated it the moment she saw it.

She was forced to see the monolith as she started the APC forward once more. There were times she had to swerve back on track because she became distracted by the towering fortress.

As she pulled around a bend, her world opened wide once more. In her sights was a field of sand, dotted by rocks and beached ships tilted on their sides. The vessels seemed pretty far up the shore, but that’s when she realized the truth.

The ships weren’t beached. The ocean had receded. Was this the Combine or did it happen naturally? What could have even made the water disappear like that?

More questions. Less answer.

Pushing it from her mind, Chell drove over what used to be the sea floor, running over a few antlions in the process as they jumped out from under the sand. Crow informed Chell from the back that the antlions liked to reside along the coast as the sands allowed for an easy way to escape to the surface. Although informative, she cared more about killing them than learning about their habitats.

The sand soon led to a slipway that enabled Chell to drive into a decrepit warehouse district. The buildings were close together with alleyways between them that prevented vehicles from going between, so Chell was stuck to the main roads around the warehouses. A few of zombies were seen shambling between the buildings but nothing else of significance.

She soon was forced to turn down a side street when a collapsed building prevented her from going any further. Said side street ended up being a dead end as it stopped in front of a different warehouse, and there wasn’t enough room to turn around. Chell groaned in frustration.

“They are close. We shall walk from here,” Apollo said, placing a hand on her back.

She nodded her head once before slipping the pouch with her portal gun onto her back and grabbing the bag with the ammo across her body as well.

Apollo took the lead with Chell behind him and Crow taking up the rear. They moved slowly to keep an eye out for a stray combine patrol or the odd headcrab or zombie. It took some time, but Apollo stopped after ten minutes of walking to point out a tiny symbol of the resistance hastily scraped into the side door of the warehouse.

Chell motioned to it with a wave of her hand. “Are we close?”

Apollo and Crow nodded.

As they continued to walk, Chell took notice of the symbols. Some scratched into old telephone poles, spray-painted on walls, or even drawn with marker on broken down car bumpers. It left a trail of breadcrumbs leading to a large warehouse on a long concrete dock. The dock was long enough to reach out to the receded ocean.

Approaching the end of the dock, Chell noticed what looked to be a rope hanging out over the water. It was secured to a metal piling, and a large cleat meant for cruise liners or cargo ships, and hanging from a second rope in the center of the first line was a still alive headcrab. It was wriggling and screeching a few feet above the water.

“Hey! Get away from there!” Someone called out from behind her.

No sooner had they yelled, there was a flash of red and a violent spray of water coming from below. The headcrab was and in its place was a large red creature pulling fruitlessly at the rope.

From behind Chell came several people all carrying long poles with sharp pieces of metal at the end and rope. As they neared the edge of the pier, they tossed their sticks at the strange creature.

The creature let out a roar of pain as several of the sticks embedded into its flesh. The people then took the long ropes still attached to their weapons and began to pull. The group of rebels fought hard against the creature, one nearly went over the edge, but another grabbed the back of their jacket to pull them back.

Not wasting another moment, Chell jumps into the fray. She gets behind one of the rebels and holds onto their rope and pulls with them as hard as she can. Her muscles strain with the effort as whatever they are pulling in is incredibly strong and heavy.

The beast roars and thrashes all the while the group pulls. It was slow going, but the group finally managed to drag the creature out of the water and onto dry land. It continued to thrash, but someone came up behind it and stabbed a final harpoon right between its eyes.

A cheer went up among the gathered rebels as they began to pull their harpoons out of the giant creature. Now that it was on land, Chell was able to get a better look at it.

At first glance, you’d think it was some kind of shark, but it was too misshapen to be even be related to a shark. It was a deep red color with a tan underbelly. Its mouth was gigantic, over a meter wide and lined with teeth that looked more like daggers. Each tooth was nearly a foot long and as thick as her wrist. Along the spine of the creature were sharp barbs that traveled the length of its body to end at a stubby tail. In place of fins, it had two arms shaped much like the arms of a praying mantis, but instead of small points, the limbs turn into sharp blades.

Everything about the creature was sharp and pointed and big.

“Thanks for the help,” someone says while planting a large hand on her back.

Chell jumps at the contact but manages to right herself and smile. She meets the eyes of a rebel man.

“You must be the one the vortigaunts mentioned?” He continues. She must have a look of confusion on her face as he laughs and points back to the warehouse. “That acts as a stopping point and a vortigaunt camp. They said someone was coming and they had two more vorts with them. Seeing how there’s a couple vorts here and I’ve never seen you before, I assume that’s you.”

Chell shrugged her shoulders and nodded, “Guess you assume correctly.”

“We were told you’d be coming here. Glad you made it on time. We are moving out tomorrow,” he went on to say. “My name’s Koji by the way.”

“Chell,” she replies.

“Well, Chell, mind helping us out with dinner?” He makes a motion to the large fish creature they had just caught.

As a group, they managed to drag the creature closer to the warehouse where they ripped out the teeth, and cut it into more manageable pieces. She then learned it was called an Ichthyosaur. Chell managed to keep one of the teeth and tucked it into her belt for safekeeping.

After it was cut up, the pieces that couldn’t be cooked were tossed back into the ocean. Chell saw tiny white worms devouring the pieces faster than the rebels could throw them away. She made a note to not put her feet in the ocean no matter how tempting.

The inside of the warehouse was impressive. The area below had been fashioned into a base of operations with tables or large wooden spools for cables set up everywhere. In one corner, several humans and a couple vortigaunts were cutting up the creature into smaller pieces and dropping it all in a large pot. In another corner, a rebel woman was taking inventory on weapons and food supplies then packing them up into manageable bags. Chell set the bag of weapons down with the others as she noticed Apollo and Crow had done the same with the food.

In another area, Chell noticed Apollo and Crow conversing with another vortigaunt. The third had a jacket draped over their shoulders. The coat was a brown duster that brushed the ground as it took each step, but it was almost comical seeing it wearing clothes.

She sent them a smile before looking around again. She could see Koji speaking with another man, and Chell started to think of what he said. They were moving out tomorrow?

What did he mean by that?

She saw him finish his conversation and then moved to a metal ladder embedded in the wall. Chell followed after and once at the top, she watched as he was looking out a large window with a pair of binoculars. She took a spot next to him and sighed. “You said you were leaving tomorrow?”

He jumped and put a hand to his chest, before turning to Chell. “Holy shit!” he took a few deep breaths before laughing. “You’re quiet, huh? Didn’t even hear you come up the ladder.”

She suppressed a laugh at that.

“What can I help you with?”

Chell crossed her arms and shifted her weight back and forth between each foot. “Where are you going? You said you were leaving tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah,” he said while handing her the binoculars. “Take a look.”

Chell takes the binoculars and looks them over before holding them up to her eyes. It took a moment for her to adjust to the new way of viewing the world, but she changed the sights, and everything looked clearer.

“Now, do you see that shipyard?”

Scanning the horizon, Chell searched until she saw what Koji was talking about. Out in the distance was a large ship with several shipping containers loaded onto the deck. OS Soldiers and CP Units alike were patrolling and checking everything over. They were like ants, patrolling the colony to keep everything in line and defend from intruders.

“We’ve been watching them. They are set to leave tomorrow, but we are going to take the ship,” Koji said. He took the binoculars back and set them gently on a nearby crate. “Their movements are scheduled, and if we can get there between a guard change and on the deck, we can take the ship.”

She frowned and held her portal gun bag a little closer. She hadn’t let go of it despite relinquishing the others. No one could take it from her.

“Are you going to go with us?” Koji asked. “You look unsure.”

Chell frowned to herself and shrugged again. “I don’t know. I’ve been in a lot of trouble and I’m not sure if I am willing to throw myself back into the fire.”

She then turned to look out over the warehouse and how everyone was working together. She saw the same woman from before finishing up inventory. She saw Apollo carrying a crate to another rebel. She watched Crow join in the effort to prepare food. It was too easy to fall back into complacency, but at the same time, Chell had to keep moving. If these people were planning on moving, then maybe it would be best to stay with them.

“Where are you planning on going?” She finally asked.

Koji reached out and put a hand on Chell’s shoulder, “We were planning on meeting up with the resistance movement in Europe. We received word that Gordon Freeman blew up the Citadel in City 17. We want to go help however we can.”

Gordon Freeman? The way he said it made her think she should know who that is already. Add that to her list of growing questions.

“I’ll need to think about it,” Chell finally said.

“Well, think fast, because with or without you, we are moving out tomorrow,” Koji said before going back down the ladder.

Chell stayed in the loft until someone called out that dinner was ready. She joined a line and was given a plastic bowl full of soup with bits of meat floating in it. She took small sips at first but then she was practically chugging it. The taste was the best thing she had eaten in weeks. It was salty, yet had an aftertaste that lingered on her tongue long after she swallowed. It was a taste she couldn’t place but thoroughly enjoyed. She ended up getting two more bowls.

In the short time, she had been on the surface, Chell had managed to eat more food than she ever had in Aperture, and she was starting to fill out more. There was a firmness to her arms and legs that wasn’t there before, and she was feeling stronger every day. To survive this world, she had to be stronger than ever. Despite that, Chell could practically hear GLaDOS insulting her, and the idea made her want to laugh.

She would probably say something like, “ _If you continue to eat like that, you might explode. Wouldn’t that be tragic? Tragic because I’d be the one to clean up the mess._ ”

 With a shake of her head and a smile on her face, Chell went to a large basin and deposited her bowl for cleaning. She thanked the rebels that cooked the food before walking to join the group of vortigaunts.

There was five in all, including Crow and Apollo. They were all talking in that deep growling sound, but they smiled at her approach.

“The Traveler approaches,” one of the new Vortigaunts said.

She smiled, sheepishly, at the name.

“We humbly ask of you what you wish to do?” Crow said his hands coming together as if in prayer.

Chell pursed her lips and shook her head, “I was actually hoping you could tell me what I need to do.”

All the vortigaunts shook their heads in unison, but it was Crow that continued to speak. “We can not tell you what to do for it is not our path to make, but we will stay with you no matter what you choose.”

“Why? Why do you follow me when I have nothing to give?”

Apollo and Crow shared a look with the other vortigaunts. Chell felt a wave of anxiety wash through her body as they had a silent conversation. She needed an answer or she would be lost.

After nearly thirty seconds of complete silence, Crow stepped closer to Chell. “We stay for it is dangerous without us. You play a part in a grand scheme and far distant eyes watch us all. We shall not name it, but they seek those who hold the keys to salvation and keep them guarded for selfish desires. We keep our vigil of this world to protect those from that which we do not speak.”

They were protecting her, but they couldn’t say what from? Just what kind of bullshit answer was that? Chell growled and shook her head. Forget it. She wasn’t going to play their game.

As she walked away, she heard one of the vortigaunts sigh, “What’s next in this parade of obstacles?”

She looked over her shoulder in confusion. “I’m not an obstacle, but I refuse to be a puppet.”

As she climbed the ladder back up to the loft, she could have sworn she heard that expression somewhere before. She was trying to find a place to sleep for the night when she stumbled across the binoculars that Koji had left behind.

She thought about throwing them to vent her anger, but that wouldn’t help anyone and it’d result in a broken piece of valuable equipment. Instead, she snatched them up and looked towards the ship.

It looked the same as before. Shipping containers, soldiers, and big. Although this time she caught something different. He stepped out from behind a shipping container. It was a man wearing a blue suit. She couldn’t tell much about his face from where she was, but she could tell he had black hair and held a briefcase in one hand. He then raised his hand, palm out to be shoulder level and gave the smallest of waves to Chell.

Her hands tightened around the binoculars to the point her knuckles turned white. It was him. The person she saw in the woods when she left Mel.

He finally lowered his hand and stepped back behind the shipping container. She watched for him again, but he never reappeared. Whoever he was, Chell felt frightened for the first time in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Chell finally reaches the vortigaunt camp and the coast. Not only that, players are stepping out of the shadows, and some answers are coming to light. Just what's going to happen? I know, but I'm not telling.
> 
> Alright, I will say though that the next few chapters are going to be pretty intense and challenging for me to write. I am super excited for them and hope I can adequately convey them into word as I see the scenes in my mind.
> 
> And as always... Reviews are appreciated, and if you want to chat, you can find me on Tumblr at suitsandsemtex.tumblr.com


End file.
